Troy Kell
Encyclopedia
Troy Michael Kell is an inmate on death row in Utah
. Troy Kell was sentenced to life in prison by the State of Nevada
for the 1986 murder of James "Cotton" Kelly. Shortly after his conviction he was transferred to the Utah State Prison as part of a prisoner exchange program. On July 6, 1994, Troy Kell attacked and killed inmate Lonnie Blackmon at the Utah Department of Corrections Gunnison facility, stabbing Blackmon a total of 67 times while his associate, Eric Daniels, held Blackmon down. Kell was sentenced to death by firing squad for his part in the murder. Once in prison, Kell became a white supremacist gang leader. Prior to the attack on Blackmon, Kell had been involved in race-related altercations with several black inmates, including Blackmon. The murder was captured on the prison security closed-circuit TV camera.
filmed a documentary, entitled, Gladiator Days: Anatomy of a Prison Murder, released in 2002. The documentary tells the story of Troy Kell and Eric Daniels' murder of Lonnie Blackmon, and shows footage of the initial trial in 1996; statements from Kell, Daniels, guards, the state attorney, Blackmon's brother, and Sandra Shaw (who was serving time elsewhere as the instigator of Kell's first murder, for which Kell was originally incarcerated); and footage of the attack captured by the CCTV within the Utah Prison in Gunnison, Utah.
in a courtroom within the Utah State Prison facility. Convicted of aggravated murder, the state pushed for and secured a death penalty verdict from the jury. In 2003, he came within a month of execution by firing squad, but eventually chose to file an appeal. As of May 2008, Kell remains on death row
, as his appeals process continues.
Cotton Kelly drove into the desert with Shaw, Kell, and a third young man (William "Billy" Merritt), where Kell shot Kelly six times in the face, killing him. The murder was dubbed the "Show and Tell Murder" by Las Vegas media, because Shaw and another teen (David Fletcher) returned to the scene of the crime with their friends, to see the corpse. One of the friends eventually reported the incident to the police which led to the arrests and convictions of Shaw, Kell, and Merritt.
The Las Vegas Sun reported Ms. Shaw's words: “I made a horrible, immature decision to ask a friend to rough this man up so he would leave me alone,” Sandy says. “Cotton Kelly had been hassling me and pestering me to go out with him and to pose for nude pictures. He would call our house at all hours of the day and was so persistent that my mom phoned the police to request that they keep him away from me. But they didn’t have stalking laws in place then like we have today.”
For her part in the crime, Sandy Shaw was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In 2004, the State Board of Pardons and Parole commuted her sentence making her eligible for parole. She served 21 years of her sentence and was released on parole in December 2008. William Merritt was released from prison after serving 12 years. He later returned for subsequent crimes. Troy Kell was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He was transferred to Utah because of violent altercations between himself and other inmates and gang affiliations.
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. Troy Kell was sentenced to life in prison by the State of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
for the 1986 murder of James "Cotton" Kelly. Shortly after his conviction he was transferred to the Utah State Prison as part of a prisoner exchange program. On July 6, 1994, Troy Kell attacked and killed inmate Lonnie Blackmon at the Utah Department of Corrections Gunnison facility, stabbing Blackmon a total of 67 times while his associate, Eric Daniels, held Blackmon down. Kell was sentenced to death by firing squad for his part in the murder. Once in prison, Kell became a white supremacist gang leader. Prior to the attack on Blackmon, Kell had been involved in race-related altercations with several black inmates, including Blackmon. The murder was captured on the prison security closed-circuit TV camera.
Documentary production
HBO, in cooperation with Blowback ProductionsBlowback Productions
Blowback Productions is an independent film and television production company founded in 1988 by Marc Levin. Along with producing partner, Daphne Pinkerson, they have made over 20 films and won numerous awards.- Marc Levin :...
filmed a documentary, entitled, Gladiator Days: Anatomy of a Prison Murder, released in 2002. The documentary tells the story of Troy Kell and Eric Daniels' murder of Lonnie Blackmon, and shows footage of the initial trial in 1996; statements from Kell, Daniels, guards, the state attorney, Blackmon's brother, and Sandra Shaw (who was serving time elsewhere as the instigator of Kell's first murder, for which Kell was originally incarcerated); and footage of the attack captured by the CCTV within the Utah Prison in Gunnison, Utah.
The trial
Due to security concerns, the state won the right to hold Kell's trialTrial
A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
in a courtroom within the Utah State Prison facility. Convicted of aggravated murder, the state pushed for and secured a death penalty verdict from the jury. In 2003, he came within a month of execution by firing squad, but eventually chose to file an appeal. As of May 2008, Kell remains on death row
Death row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
, as his appeals process continues.
Conviction for a previous murder
Kell was originally imprisoned in the state of Nevada for the murder of 21-year old James "Cotton" Kelly. In 1986, Kell, then age 18, was asked by 15 year-old suitor, Sandra "Sandy" Shaw, to "do something" to Cotton Kelly for his inappropriate advances towards Ms. Shaw.Cotton Kelly drove into the desert with Shaw, Kell, and a third young man (William "Billy" Merritt), where Kell shot Kelly six times in the face, killing him. The murder was dubbed the "Show and Tell Murder" by Las Vegas media, because Shaw and another teen (David Fletcher) returned to the scene of the crime with their friends, to see the corpse. One of the friends eventually reported the incident to the police which led to the arrests and convictions of Shaw, Kell, and Merritt.
The Las Vegas Sun reported Ms. Shaw's words: “I made a horrible, immature decision to ask a friend to rough this man up so he would leave me alone,” Sandy says. “Cotton Kelly had been hassling me and pestering me to go out with him and to pose for nude pictures. He would call our house at all hours of the day and was so persistent that my mom phoned the police to request that they keep him away from me. But they didn’t have stalking laws in place then like we have today.”
For her part in the crime, Sandy Shaw was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In 2004, the State Board of Pardons and Parole commuted her sentence making her eligible for parole. She served 21 years of her sentence and was released on parole in December 2008. William Merritt was released from prison after serving 12 years. He later returned for subsequent crimes. Troy Kell was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He was transferred to Utah because of violent altercations between himself and other inmates and gang affiliations.