News & Issues

Robert Brice Morrow #55

2004 Executions - Robert Brice Morrow:

#55 murderer executed in U.S. in 2004.
Executed 11/4/2004 in Texas by Lethal Injection.

Summary of the Murder: Morrow was found guilty of capital murder in the kidnaping and killing of 21-year-old Lisa Allison of Liberty, Texas.

Statistical Data:

Murderer - Robert Brice Morrow

Date of Birth - 6/3/1957
Race - White
Sex - Male
Age when crime committed - 38
Age when executed - 47
Date of Sentence - 11/17/1997

Victim - Myra Elisabeth Allison

Date of Murder - 4/3/1996
Race - White
Sex - Female
Age when murdered - 21
Method of Murder - Beating and Slashing with Knife
Relationship to Murderer - None

Details of the Crime:

Lisa Allison, a college student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was at home in Liberty, Texas, for spring break. During the early evening hours of April 3, 1996, Allison left her parents’ home to take her father’s car to a car wash. She did not return. After a failed attempt to locate their daughter, the Allisons filed a missing person’s report with police.

A Witness to the Crime:

Bryan McNeill testified that he saw Lisa Allison at the car wash on April 3rd as he was cleaning his truck. After he finished vacuuming, McNeill noticed that a car on the side of the road let out a man who proceeded to cross the street towards the car wash. Although he did not get a full-face view of the man and never positively identified Robert Brice Morrow, McNeill’s description was consistent with Morrow’s appearance at that time.

A short time later, McNeill heard a “short, startling scream” come from the area of the car wash. He saw the man who had crossed the street laying on top of Lisa Allison in the passenger side of her car. Because Allison did not seem to be struggling, McNeill decided that the two must be boyfriend and girlfriend. He then watched as the man got up and Allison slide behind the steering wheel. The man sat down in the passenger seat and the two drove away in the direction of the Trinity River.

Lisa Alison's Body is Found:

At about 10:30 the next morning, authorities informed the Allison family that Lisa’s body had been found floating in the nearby Trinity River. Her throat had been cut and she had been beaten severely. She had forty-two separate injuries. Authorities discovered the victim’s car abandoned within two miles of Morrow’s home. Numerous blood stains and types of evidence were found in the vehicle and at a well site near where the body was discovered.

Hair and Blood Sample Match:

Hair and blood samples taken from both places matched those of the victim. Other blood samples taken from the car matched Morrow. One stain was found to be consistent with a mixture of Morrow’s and Lisa Allison’s blood, and the statistical probability of the blood coming from a different pair was 1 in 20.9 million.

More Testimony:

Testimony showed that Morrow had previously talked of committing a crime like the one at the car wash. Prior to the offense, Morrow told a fellow oil worker that it would be easy to abduct a woman from a service station with a knife, take her money and jewelry, and go sell the items for drugs. Morrow also said that he could have sex with the woman and that he would “take care of her.”

Dane Schisler, a friend of Morrow, stated that he had dropped Morrow off across the street from the car wash shortly before the Allison kidnaping took place. Brad Keaton, another Morrow acquaintance, testified that he saw Morrow the night of the offense walking down the road in front of Keaton’s house around midnight. He stated that Morrow had scratches on his arms and a considerable amount of blood on his clothes. Morrow told Keaton that he was bloody because he had been in a car wreck.

Criminal History:

Morrow’s record includes a felony conviction in South Carolina for two counts of breaking and entering and grand larceny; convictions in New Orleans, Louisiana, for carrying a concealed weapon and burglary; and a conviction for forgery in Liberty, Texas. Morrow violated his probation and was sentenced to 30 months in jail.

The State also introduced a tape on which Morrow admitted to killing other people in gang-related activity.

James Lindsey, a supervisor with the Liberty County Jail, testified that Morrow threatened to escape and indicated he could easily break out due to the small size of the jail. Other officers from the jail testified that Morrow had threatened them. Specifically, one officer, Kenneth Nunn, testified that he learned that Morrow had threatened to kill him with a high-powered rifle.

The Execution: Morrow said none of his family members would be attending the execution. He told reporters, "I want you to tell the Allison family that I have arranged for a friend to get my ashes and scatter them over their daughter's grave," he said with a loud laugh. He later said he was really sending his ashes to family in Ireland.

Last Meal:10 pieces of crispy fried chicken, two cheeseburgers, three fried pork chops, chef salad with chopped ham and Thousand Island dressing, French fries and onions, five buttermilk biscuits with butter, four jalapeno peppers, a pint of Rocky Road ice cream, one bowl of peach cobbler or apple pie and two Sprites and two Cokes.

Final Words: Morrow said to the parents of his victim, "I would like to tell you that I am responsible, and I am sorry for what I did and the pain I caused." He expressed love to his friends and said he had been blessed that they stood by him. Morrow urged them to stay strong. "Set me free, warden. Father, accept me." He turned again to the Alison family and said, "I do hope my death brings you all some closure." He then said, "I feel it" and let out three small gasps. He was pronounced deat at 6:35 p.m.