1. Charles Voyde Harrelson was an American contract killer and organized crime figure who was convicted of assassinating federal judge John H Wood Jr.
18 Facts About Charles Harrelson
1. 2.
Charles Harrelson was the father of actors Brett and Woody Harrelson.
3.
Charles Harrelson was born on July 23,1938, in Lovelady, Texas, the son of Alma Lee and Voyde Harrelson.
4.
Charles Harrelson was married to Nancy Hillman Harrelson, Diane Lou Oswald, Jo Ann Harrelson, and Gina Adelle Foster.
5.
Charles Harrelson later admitted that he had been involved in dozens of murders beginning in the early 1960s.
6.
Charles Harrelson was tried for the 1968 murder-for-hire killing of Sam Degelia Jr.
7.
Charles Harrelson was paid $2,000 for the murder of Degelia, a grain dealer and father of four who was killed in McAllen, Texas.
8.
Charles Harrelson was retried in 1973, convicted, and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
9.
Shortly after Charles Harrelson was paroled in 1978, he and his then-wife, Jo Ann, were implicated in another murder.
10.
Charles Harrelson was convicted of killing Judge Wood after being hired by drug dealer Jamiel Chagra of El Paso, Texas.
11.
Charles Harrelson was apprehended when calls were made to the police saying he was firing a gun at imaginary FBI agents while on drugs.
12.
Charles Harrelson claimed at trial that he did not kill Judge Wood, but merely took credit for it so he could claim a large payment from Chagra.
13.
Charles Harrelson was sentenced to two life terms based largely on Chagra's conversation with his brother from prison.
14.
In 2003, Chagra recanted his previous statements, stating that someone other than Charles Harrelson had shot Judge Wood.
15.
In September 1980, Charles Harrelson surrendered to police after a six-hour standoff in which he was reportedly high on cocaine.
16.
Marrs stated that Charles Harrelson was involved "with criminals connected to intelligence agencies and the military" and suggested that he was connected to Jack Ruby through Russell Douglas Matthews, a third party with links to organized crime who was known to both Charles Harrelson and Ruby.
17.
Charles Harrelson was transferred to supermax prison ADX Florence in Colorado.
18.
On March 15,2007, Charles Harrelson was found dead in his cell, having died at the age of 68 from a heart attack.