Richard Snell (criminal)
Encyclopedia
Richard Wayne Snell was a convicted murderer executed in Arkansas
for killing two individuals.
(known as the CSA), which was started in 1971 in the small community of Elijah
, Missouri
by polygamist James Ellison
. He was involved in filming the planes that landed at the restricted airport in Mena
, Arkansas
, believed by many conspiracy theorists to be a government sanctioned cover-up. Snell believed that the CIA
was using this airport to smuggle drugs into America. He was also a White-racist and a believer in the Christian Identity
religion, and frequented Elohim City, a private community located in Oklahoma
, created by members of Ellison's organization.
Snell had claimed that the police departments (local and state) in that area of Arkansas were involved in the cover-up of the Mena
, Arkansas
drug deals. He had also made claims to many people that he had filmed the then Governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton
, at Mena Airport
. That claim has never been proven in any form. He further claimed that one of the Arkansas state troopers, who was assigned to "Governor Security" at that time, had beaten his (Snell's) wife in an attempt to force her to reveal the location of the alleged video
footage Snell had taken at Mena Airport.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
(ATF) had ongoing investigations into the organization. By the end of their operations, the ATF obtained 155 Krugerrand
s (gold coins), one live light antitank rocket (LAAW), 94 long guns, 30 handguns, 35 sawed-off shotguns and machine guns, one heavy machine gun (a Japanese copy of the WWI Lewis
, in .303 caliber), and three and a half bars of C-4 explosives. Much of this arsenal was stolen.
In 1983, CSA member William Thomas accompanied Snell and member Steven Scott
in attempting to dynamite
a natural gas pipeline near Fulton
, Arkansas
, without success. Scott was eventually captured and convicted of that crime. Several other members were arrested on various other charges, mostly weapons violations. By 1985, the CSA had, for all practical purposes, fallen, due to most of its members being either killed or incarcerated.
, gave this information in a federal prison holding cell to one of the then members.
Snell's downfall came on June 30, 1984, when he shot and killed a pawn shop owner he mistakenly believed was of Jewish descent. Shortly thereafter, he killed a black Arkansas State Trooper
, Louis P. Bryant, near DeQueen, Arkansas. He then left the scene and drove across the Oklahoma
state line. A truck driver who witnessed the last murder followed him, and contacted the Broken Bow
police department. Police officer
s there set up a roadblock and engaged Snell in a gunbattle that resulted in his wounding and capture.
Snell was then returned to Arkansas for trial
, convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of the state trooper, and death for the pawn shop owner. Snell never denied the allegations made against him, or the crimes he was accused of having committed.
carried out the Oklahoma City bombing
, which destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building
. Snell had been accused of plotting to bomb the Murrah Building in the 1980s. Snell reportedly watched televised reports of the Oklahoma City bombing on the day of his execution and was appalled by what he saw. One theory holds that Timothy McVeigh
committed his bombing in retaliation for Snell's execution. The two men did know one another, and ran in many of the same circles. However, McVeigh has said that his primary motivation for the bombing was retaliation against the government for its Waco Siege
that took place exactly two years prior on April 19, 1993. McVeigh never testified as to why he bombed the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
In his last words before being executed Snell addressed then-Governor Jim Guy Tucker
:
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
for killing two individuals.
CSA membership
Snell was a member of the radical white supremacist group The Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the LordThe Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the Lord
The Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the Lord was a radical Christian Identity organization formed in 1971 in the small community of Elijah in southern Missouri, United States.- Leadership :...
(known as the CSA), which was started in 1971 in the small community of Elijah
Elijah, Missouri
Elijah, Missouri is an unincorporated community in eastern Ozark County, Missouri, United States. It is about twenty-two miles west of West Plains on Missouri Supplemental Route V just south of U.S. Route 160. It formerly had a post office with a ZIP code of 65642, but mail is now served from the...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
by polygamist James Ellison
James Ellison (polygamist)
James Ellison former student at Lincoln Bible College, Lincoln, IL was a white supremacist leader from San Antonio, Texas who, in 1971, founded the radical organization The Covenant, The Sword, and the Arm of the Lord. Ellison purchased a strip of land near Elijah, Arkansas to serve as his compound...
. He was involved in filming the planes that landed at the restricted airport in Mena
Mena, Arkansas
Mena is a city in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the county seat of Polk County.It was founded by Arthur Edward Stilwell during the building of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad . It was Stilwell who decided Mena would be the name of this new town along the route to...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, believed by many conspiracy theorists to be a government sanctioned cover-up. Snell believed that the CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
was using this airport to smuggle drugs into America. He was also a White-racist and a believer in the Christian Identity
Christian Identity
Christian Identity is a label applied to a wide variety of loosely affiliated believers and churches with a racialized theology. Many promote a Eurocentric interpretation of Christianity.According to Chester L...
religion, and frequented Elohim City, a private community located in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, created by members of Ellison's organization.
Snell had claimed that the police departments (local and state) in that area of Arkansas were involved in the cover-up of the Mena
Mena, Arkansas
Mena is a city in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the county seat of Polk County.It was founded by Arthur Edward Stilwell during the building of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad . It was Stilwell who decided Mena would be the name of this new town along the route to...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
drug deals. He had also made claims to many people that he had filmed the then Governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, at Mena Airport
Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport
Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport is a public airport located two miles southeast of the central business district of Mena, a city in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. It is owned by City of Mena.Although most U.S...
. That claim has never been proven in any form. He further claimed that one of the Arkansas state troopers, who was assigned to "Governor Security" at that time, had beaten his (Snell's) wife in an attempt to force her to reveal the location of the alleged video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
footage Snell had taken at Mena Airport.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is a federal law enforcement organization within the United States Department of Justice...
(ATF) had ongoing investigations into the organization. By the end of their operations, the ATF obtained 155 Krugerrand
Krugerrand
The Krugerrand is a South African gold coin, first minted in 1967 to help market South African gold. The coin, produced by the South African Mint, proved popular and by 1980 the Krugerrand accounted for 90% of the gold coin market. The name itself is a compound of Kruger and rand, the South...
s (gold coins), one live light antitank rocket (LAAW), 94 long guns, 30 handguns, 35 sawed-off shotguns and machine guns, one heavy machine gun (a Japanese copy of the WWI Lewis
Lewis Gun
The Lewis Gun is a World War I–era light machine gun of American design that was perfected and widely used by the British Empire. It was first used in combat in World War I, and continued in service with a number of armed forces through to the end of the Korean War...
, in .303 caliber), and three and a half bars of C-4 explosives. Much of this arsenal was stolen.
In 1983, CSA member William Thomas accompanied Snell and member Steven Scott
Steven Scott
Steven Scott is a shooter from Battle who won a gold medal in Commonwealth Games held from 3–14 October 2010 in Delhi, India.He won, with Stevan Walton, the men's double trap pairs event on 6 October 2010.-References:...
in attempting to dynamite
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
a natural gas pipeline near Fulton
Fulton, Arkansas
Fulton is a city in Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 245 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Hope Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, without success. Scott was eventually captured and convicted of that crime. Several other members were arrested on various other charges, mostly weapons violations. By 1985, the CSA had, for all practical purposes, fallen, due to most of its members being either killed or incarcerated.
Capture and conviction
"Wayne," as his friends called Snell, was an anomaly amongst the racists. He operated autonomously, using the CSA compound as his base of operation. His running mate, Steven ScottSteven Scott
Steven Scott is a shooter from Battle who won a gold medal in Commonwealth Games held from 3–14 October 2010 in Delhi, India.He won, with Stevan Walton, the men's double trap pairs event on 6 October 2010.-References:...
, gave this information in a federal prison holding cell to one of the then members.
Snell's downfall came on June 30, 1984, when he shot and killed a pawn shop owner he mistakenly believed was of Jewish descent. Shortly thereafter, he killed a black Arkansas State Trooper
Arkansas State Police
The Arkansas State Police is the state police agency for Arkansas, which has jurisdiction anywhere in the state. It was created to protect the lives, property and constitutional rights of people in Arkansas...
, Louis P. Bryant, near DeQueen, Arkansas. He then left the scene and drove across the Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
state line. A truck driver who witnessed the last murder followed him, and contacted the Broken Bow
Broken Bow, Oklahoma
Broken Bow is a city in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 4,230 at the 2000 census. It is named after Broken Bow, Nebraska, the former hometown of the city's founders, the Dierks brothers.-History:...
police department. Police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
s there set up a roadblock and engaged Snell in a gunbattle that resulted in his wounding and capture.
Snell was then returned to Arkansas for trial
Trial
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...
, convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of the state trooper, and death for the pawn shop owner. Snell never denied the allegations made against him, or the crimes he was accused of having committed.
Execution
Snell's death sentence was carried out on April 19, 1995. Coincidentally, he was executed on the same day that Timothy McVeighTimothy McVeigh
Timothy James McVeigh was a United States Army veteran and security guard who detonated a truck bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995...
carried out the Oklahoma City bombing
Oklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
, which destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building
Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building
The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was a United States Federal Government complex located at 200 N.W. 5th Street in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. The building was the target of the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995, which killed 168 people, including 19 children...
. Snell had been accused of plotting to bomb the Murrah Building in the 1980s. Snell reportedly watched televised reports of the Oklahoma City bombing on the day of his execution and was appalled by what he saw. One theory holds that Timothy McVeigh
Timothy McVeigh
Timothy James McVeigh was a United States Army veteran and security guard who detonated a truck bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995...
committed his bombing in retaliation for Snell's execution. The two men did know one another, and ran in many of the same circles. However, McVeigh has said that his primary motivation for the bombing was retaliation against the government for its Waco Siege
Waco Siege
The Waco siege began on February 28, 1993, and ended violently 50 days later on April 19. The siege began when the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms attempted to execute a search warrant at the Branch Davidian ranch at Mount Carmel, a property located east-northeast of Waco,...
that took place exactly two years prior on April 19, 1993. McVeigh never testified as to why he bombed the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
In his last words before being executed Snell addressed then-Governor Jim Guy Tucker
Jim Guy Tucker
James "Jim" Guy Tucker, Jr. is an Arkansas political figure. He served as the 43rd Governor of Arkansas, the 11th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas, Arkansas Attorney General, and U.S. Representative...
:
- "Governor Tucker, look over your shoulder; justice is coming. I wouldn't trade places with you or any of your cronies. Hell has victories. I am at peace."