Ronald Clark O'Bryan

Ronald Clark O'Bryan
O'Bryan (right) being escorted from the courtroom after being found guilty of murdering his son (June 3, 1975)
Born	(1944-10-19)October 19, 1944 Houston, Texas, U.S.
Died	March 31, 1984(1984-03-31) (aged 39) Huntsville Unit, Huntsville, Texas, U.S.
Cause of death	Execution by lethal injection
Resting place	Forest Park East Cemetery
Other names	The Candy Man The Man Who Killed Halloween The Pixy Stix Killer
Occupation	Optician
Criminal status	Executed
Spouse(s)	Daynene O'Bryan (m.?; div. 1975)
Children	Timothy O'Bryan (1966–1974) Elizabeth O'Bryan
Motive	Life insurance money
Conviction(s)	Capital murder Attempted murder (4 counts)
Criminal penalty	Death
Details
Victims	Timothy O'Bryan, 8
Date	October 31, 1974
Country	United States
Location(s)	Deer Park, Texas
Weapons	Potassium cyanide
Date apprehended	November 5, 1974
Imprisoned at	Ellis Unit

Ronald Clark O'Bryan (October 19, 1944 – March 31, 1984), nicknamed The Candy Man, The Man Who Killed Halloween and The Pixy Stix Killer, was an American man convicted of killing his eight-year-old son Timothy (April 5, 1966 – October 31, 1974) on Halloween 1974 with a potassium cyanide-laced Pixy Stix that was ostensibly collected during a trick or treat outing. O'Bryan poisoned his son in order to claim life insurance money to ease his own financial troubles, as he was $100,000 in debt. O'Bryan also distributed poisoned candy to his daughter and three other children in an attempt to cover up his crime; however, neither his daughter nor the other children ate the poisoned candy. He was convicted of capital murder in June 1975 and sentenced to death. He was executed by lethal injection in March 1984.