Offender Record · OFF-2026-121
Kenneth McDuff (photo from the Radford University biography)
Kenneth Allen McDuff
Also known as The Broomstick Killer, The Broomstick Murderer, Mac, Richard Fowler
Sex
Male
Race
White
Height
6'3"
Weight
250 lbs
Born
1946
Custody
Deceased
States
TX, MO
Distinguishing features6'3", 250 lbs; described as physically attractive
Custody
Deceased at Huntsville Unit, Texas · #999055
Custody record at the facility
Date of Execution: November 17, 1998; Inmate: Kenneth Allen McDuff #999055; McDuff's final words were: 'I'm ready to be released. Release me'.
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Summary of the record
Kenneth Allen McDuff was born March 21, 1946, in Rosebud, Texas, and died November 17, 1998, aged 52, at Huntsville Unit, Texas. McDuff was convicted of the 1966 slayings of three teenagers and between October 1989 and March 1992, McDuff raped and murdered at least six women, receiving another death sentence. On November 17, McDuff was executed by lethal injection. He was fifty-two.
Documented Arrests, Charges and Convictions
Dispositions are shown exactly as the cited records report them. Pending charges are updated when a court acts; a record with no remaining conviction or pending charge is removed from the site.
Offense date 1964, Bell County, Texas
Burglary and theft
Bell, Milam, Falls County, Texas · Arrested Apr 17, 1964 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: In 1964, at age 18, McDuff was convicted of 12 counts of burglary and attempted burglary in three Texas counties: Bell, Milam, and Falls. He was sentenced to 12 four-year prison terms to be served concurrently.
Non-violent conviction; included theft of $500, checks, bullets, ice cream, and coins from various stores in 1964.
SourcesKenneth McDuff; Radford University serial killer biography: McDuff, Kenneth
Offense date Aug 06, 1966, Everman, Texas
Rape and murder of three teenagers
Falls County Sheriff, Texas · Falls County District Court · Arrested Aug 09, 1966 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Convicted and sentenced to death; in August 1972, McDuff's sentence was commuted to life in prison after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional.
On August 6, 1966, McDuff and Green spent the day pouring concrete for McDuff's father. At 10 pm, Robert Brand (aged 17), his girlfriend Edna Louise Sullivan (aged 16), and Brand's 15-year-old cousin Mark Dunnam were standing beside their parked car on a baseball field in Everman, Texas. He threatened the trio with his .38 Colt revolver and ordered them to get into the trunk of their car. McDuff shot both boys in the trunk, and McDuff then dragged Sullivan from the car and sexually assaulted the victim before using the broomstick to crush her larynx and kill her.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: McDuff, Kenneth; Kenneth McDuff; Kenneth Allen McDuff; Kenneth McDuff
Bribery
Texas · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: In 1982, he was convicted of the bribery attempt, but the jury gave him only a two-year sentence.
Attempted to bribe parole board member for early release.
SourcesKenneth Allen McDuff
Offense date Dec 29, 1991, Austin, Texas
Capital murder, aggravated sexual assault, and aggravated kidnapping of Colleen Reed
Williamson County, Texas · Guadalupe County District Court (Seguin) · Arrested May 04, 1992 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: On February 23, 1994, he was convicted on all charges. On March 1, he was again sentenced to death.
On December 29, twenty-eight-year-old Colleen Reed, a certified public accountant, was abducted from a car wash in Austin. As Worley drove north toward Bell County, McDuff raped Colleen in the back seat. As McDuff drove along Texas Highway 317, Worley raped Colleen. They also beat her and tortured her by burning her with cigarettes. Her body was not found until October 6, 1998.
SourcesKenneth McDuff; Radford University serial killer biography: McDuff, Kenneth
Offense date Mar 01, 1992, Waco, Texas
Capital murder of Melissa Ann Northrup; kidnapping and rape
McLennan County, Texas · Harris County District Court (Houston) · Arrested May 04, 1992 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: He was convicted of capital murder for the killing of Melissa Northrup and sentenced to death on February 18, 1993.
On March 1, just one week after Valencia disappeared, twenty-two-year-old Melissa Ann Northup, a pregnant mother of two, disappeared while working at the Quik-Pak store in Waco. She was kidnapped from the Waco Quik-Pak, where she worked, and strangled with a rope. She was pregnant with her third child at the time of her murder and was found in a Dallas County gravel pit with her hands still tied behind her back.
SourcesKenneth McDuff; Radford University serial killer biography: McDuff, Kenneth; Melissa Ann Leger Northrup (1969-1992)
Pattern and Background
Victim counts and the pattern of the offenses as stated by courts, agencies and the cited reporting. Suspected counts are what officials have said publicly, not a finding of this site.
5
Victims convicted
8
Victims confessed
14
Victims suspected
Active years
1966–1992
Victim profile
Young women, Teenagers, Men, Sex workers, Strangers
Stated motive
Sexual, Power or control
Range from home
regional
Accomplice
Yes
Confessed
Yes
Education
some high school
Marital history
Never married
Children
0
Died
1998-11-17 · executed
Places Lived, Worked and Frequented
Each place and date range comes from a cited record. Dates marked approximate are as reported. Know a place that is missing? Use Edit record under the photo; a moderator reviews it before it appears.
MO
Kansas City, Missouri
approx. Mar 1992 – May 04, 1992 · Fled Texas after murders; worked as garbage man under alias Richard Fowler
TX
Rosebud, Texas
approx. 1946 – 1952 · Born in Paris, Texas; moved to Rosebud
Rosebud, Texas
approx. 1952 – 1965 · 201 Linden Street, family home
Rosebud, Texas
approx. 1962 – 1964 · Worked with father as concrete pourer
Fort Worth, Texas
approx. Aug 1966 – Aug 1966 · Traveled to Fort Worth; arrested August 9
Waco, Texas
approx. Oct 1989 – Dec 1989 · Gas station attendant earning $4/hour
Waco, Texas
approx. 1991 – Mar 1992 · Garbage collector
Waco, Texas
approx. 1991 – Mar 1992 · Texas State Technical Institute student; Quik-Pak convenience store employee
Huntsville, Texas
May 04, 1992 – Nov 17, 1998 · Arrested May 4, 1992; on death row for murders of Melissa Northrup and Colleen Reed; inmate #999055
Known Vehicles
Vehicles and approximate dates of ownership or use, as reported in the cited records. A photo next to a vehicle is the vehicle itself as published.
1992 tan Thunderbird – Two-door tan Thunderbird with rounded taillights
approx. 1992 – 1992
Registered to McDuff; abandoned at motel near Melissa Northrup's disappearance location; used in Colleen Reed abduction
1977 unknown Buick Regal – Melissa Northrup's car, missing after her abduction
approx. 1992 – 1992
Vehicle of victim Melissa Northrup; disappeared March 1, 1992
1966 unknown Dodge Coronet – McDuff's own vehicle used in 1966 murders
approx. 1966 – 1966
Used in abduction and transport of three victims in August 1966
Timeline
Mar 21, 1946
Kenneth Allen McDuff born March 21, 1946, in Rosebud, Texas.
1964
At age 18, McDuff was convicted of 12 counts of burglary and attempted burglary in three Texas counties: Bell, Milam, and Falls.
Mar 10, 1965
McDuff sent to Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Dec 29, 1965
McDuff got out of jail on parole.
Aug 06, 1966
Killed three teens at a ball field in Everman, TX: Robert Brand (WM, 18), Mark Dunman (WM, 16), and Edna Louise Sullivan (WF, 16).
Aug 09, 1966
McDuff put in jail without parole.
Nov 15, 1966
On November 15, 1966, the jury found him guilty, and he received the death sentence.
Oct 09, 1968
Went to Texas Department of Corrections.
1972
McDuff's sentence was commuted to life in prison after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional.
1982
In 1982, he was convicted of the bribery attempt, but the jury gave him only a two-year sentence.
Oct 11, 1989
It was October 11, 1989. Falls County sheriff Larry Pamplin telephoned his longtime friend deputy U.S. marshal Parnell McNamara in Waco and told him, 'You're not going to believe what happened, Parnell. They've paroled Kenneth McDuff.'.
Oct 14, 1989
The body of 29-year-old Sarafia Parker was discovered on October 14, 1989, in Temple, a town 48 miles south of Waco along the I-35 corridor.
Jul 1990
Sent back to prison for violation of parole, released after 2 months.
Oct 10, 1991
Brenda Thompson (WF, 37) is strangled to death in Waco, Texas.
Oct 15, 1991
Regina DeAnne Moore (17) is strangled to death in Waco, Texas.
Dec 29, 1991
On December 29, twenty-eight-year-old Colleen Reed, a certified public accountant, was abducted from a car wash in Austin.
Feb 24, 1992
Valencia Joshua age 22 was the victim of a death by force case in Waco, TX on Feb 24, 1992.
Mar 01, 1992
Twenty-two-year-old Melissa Ann Northup, a pregnant mother of two, disappeared while working at the Quik-Pak store in Waco.
May 04, 1992
A nationwide manhunt instigated by Deputy U.S. Marshals Mike McNamara and Parnell McNamara, and a profile on 'America's Most Wanted' led to McDuff's capture in Kansas City, Missouri on May 4, 1992.
Feb 18, 1993
On Feb. 18, 1993, a jury sentenced McDuff to death for the murder of Melissa Northrup.
Feb 23, 1994
On February 23, 1994, he was convicted on all charges related to Colleen Reed.
Mar 01, 1994
On March 1, he was again sentenced to death.
Nov 17, 1998
On November 17, McDuff was executed by lethal injection. He was fifty-two.
Sources
Solve the Case is never the original source. Each item below is the public record a statement on this page rests on, with an archived copy where one exists.
News report · Wikipedia ·
Kenneth McDuff“Kenneth Allen McDuff was an American serial killer from Texas; convicted of 12 counts of burglary and attempted burglary in 1964.”
News report · Unsolved Mysteries Fandom ·
Kenneth McDuff“In November 1966, he was convicted of the murders and sentenced to death.”
Offender registry · Find a Grave ·
Melissa Ann Leger Northrup (1969-1992)“On the night of February 29, 1992, Kenneth McDuff kidnapped her from the store.”
Other · Radford University, Department of Psychology ·
Radford University serial killer biography: McDuff, Kenneth“Kenneth Allen McDuff 'The Broomstick Killer' with timeline of life events from birth through execution.”
News report · Murderpedia ·
Kenneth Allen McDuff“McDuff was first convicted for raping and murdering three teenagers on August 6, 1966.”
News report · Crime Solvers Central ·
Valencia Joshua Death by Force Case Profile“Valencia Joshua age 22 was the victim of a death by force case in Waco, TX on Feb 24, 1992.”
News report · Crime Solvers Central ·
Sarafia Parker murdered or death by force in Temple, Texas“Sarafia Monnetta Parker, a 29-year-old African American woman, was found dead on October 14, 1989, in Temple, Texas.”
Other government record · Texas Department of Criminal Justice ·
Death Row Information“Inmate: Kenneth Allen McDuff #999055; Date of Execution: November 17, 1998”
News report · Texas Monthly ·
Free to Kill“It was October 11, 1989. Falls County sheriff Larry Pamplin telephoned his longtime friend deputy U.S. marshal Parnell McNamara in Waco and told him, 'They've paroled Kenneth McDuff.'”
Discussion
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