Karen Ann Keeton
BIRTH 24 Dec 1955
Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, USA
DEATH 31 Aug 1978 (aged 22)
Cass County, Missouri, USA
BURIAL
Terrace Park Cemetery
Kansas City, Clay County, Missouri, USA
Karen Keeton, a 22-year-old white female, was raped and murdered in the early morning hours of August 31, 1978.
George "Tiny" Mercer, a 34-year-old white male, was drinking with friends at the Blue Seven Lounge in Grandview, Missouri, the evening before. Karen was working there as a waitress. During the evening, Mercer made the comment that he would like to take her to bed. Steven Gardner, a friend of Mercer who was acquainted with Karen, went up to the bar to talk to her. He returned a short time later and said he and Karen were going to breakfast and would go to defendant's house afterward. Mercer left with David Gee, another friend, and went to Mercer's home in Belton, Missouri, arriving there around 12:30 a. m. John Campbell was at the house babysitting with defendant's ten-year-old daughter. A short time later Gardner and Karen Keeton arrived.
After visiting for some time Mercer picked up a sawed-off double-barrelled shotgun, opened it to show the shells, walked over to Karen, tapped her on the head with the gun, and told her to "get her ... upstairs." When she hesitated he grabbed her and pushed her to the stairway. She yelled for Gardner to help. He responded, "Happy Birthday, Tiny," then turned to the others and said, "Seconds." Karen's dress was tossed downstairs with defendant telling Gardner to "put these clothes where they go, you know where they go." Gardner put the clothes in a closet and pocketed the money from her purse.
Throughout the night, Karen was raped in turn by Gardner, Gee, and possibly Campbell. At no time did any one of them attempt to stop the others.
When Gardner decided to leave, Mercer asked Gardner what he wanted done with Karen and Gardner replied, "Kill the...." Mercer replied, "Okay, brother." Gardner asked if he would need any help and Mercer said no, he would get rid of the body where it would not be found. Gardner and Gee left, Mercer went upstairs, and Campbell went to sleep downstairs.
Campbell was suddenly awakened by Mercer calling his name from upstairs. He responded and found Mercer straddling Karen's body with his hands on her throat. Mercer screamed at Campbell to take her pulse. Campbell grabbed the arm of Karen's seemingly lifeless body and found a faint pulse. At the time he told Mercer this, he could smell human waste which was all over the bed.
Mercer "hollered", struck the left side of Karen's head, and said, "Die you ... Die." He continued strangling her, and again screamed at Campbell to take her pulse. Campbell found no pulse. When Campbell reported this, Mercer got off the bed, grabbed Karen's legs, and pulled her off the bed. He took the sheets and blanket to the washing machine and told Campbell to wipe the waste off the floor. Mercer came back and told Campbell to get his truck and put the tailgate down so he could put Karen's body in it. After Campbell complied, Mercer brought the body down and put it in the truck. They then climbed in the truck and Campbell started driving at Mercer's direction. Finally Mercer had Campbell stop.
Mercer got out and dumped the body over a fence into a field. When he returned he told Campbell, "Now, if I'd killed that ... 17-year-old like I did her ... I wouldn't have been on any rape charges ... right now." (At that time, Mercer had a rape charge pending against him filed by a 17-year-old girl.) Mercer and Campbell returned to defendant's house where Mercer gave Campbell the shotgun to hide, and burned Karen's purse.
Three to four weeks later Campbell and his attorney looked for and found the badly decomposed body of Karen Keeton. They reported this to the authorities. The body was identified by means of her teeth.
Following a trial by jury, George "Tiny" Mercer was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. He was executed in 1989 by the state of Missouri.
Stephen Gardner was also tried and found guilty of capital murder, and was sentenced to life imprisonment without eligibility for parole until a minimum of fifty years of the sentence has been served.
LINKS:
State v. Mercer
Karen Ann Keeton (1955-1978) - Find A Grave...
Man Executed in Missouri for Killing Waitress
State v. Gardner
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