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           At age eight she was smoking marijuana by the age of 10 she was shooting heroin, when she was 14 she had already "turned a few tricks" in the city of Houston. At the age of twenty, after an unsuccessful marriage, she became an active prostitute. By the time her crimes took place at age 23, she was doing drugs virtually non-stop, taking all kinds of pills and shooting amphetamines in her veins. Many times she has told me that she liked the idea of being "Big, Bad and Mean".

Two Repulsive Murders

           That was certainly the reputation she carried with her to the courtroom! The chilling events on the evening of June 13, 1983 stand alone in the annals of Texas crime history. That was the night that Karla Faye Tucker and her boyfriend, Daniel Garrett, killed two unsuspecting victims. The two lovers sneaked into a Houston apartment and committed two brutal and repulsive murders.

           Using a pickax, they hacked a man and woman to death and left the ax embedded in the woman's chest. Later, Karla bragged to friends that she was sexually gratified as she hacked the man she hated to death. It was this statement that perhaps convinced a jury to send her to death row. A statement that Tucker later said she only made to impress her friends and to reenforce her reputation of being "big, bad and mean". However, that statement was used by prosecutors to help convince a Houston jury to issue a death sentence.

Hatred She Could Not Control

           Karla was described by herself and others as a twisted, pathetic, drugged out woman who showed no mercy on a pleading innocent victim. Karla Faye Tucker was a bitter, angry, confused, twisted, 23-year old, when she made the poorest decision of her life.

           With disregard to the consequences or the feelings of others she was ruled by a hatred she could not control. The drugs that blind to reality, numb the conscience, and intensify negative emotions combined for a deadly mixture.

I Alone Am Responsible

           "I know that when I first smoked pot, it's because I saw my sister smoking it, and I told them I was going to tell on them, so they made me smoke it so I wouldn't tell on them. I was eight years old when I first smoked pot ... I was ten when I first used heroin." She went on to say, "You can't blame something like that (crime) on anybody else but yourself. I, alone, am responsible for what I have done. I had my choices", she said. She has been on death row since December of 1984.

She Was Everything She Appeared to be. She Was Genuinely Born Again

           Her former Chaplain, Tim Crosby, smiles when he talks about her. You might expect to hear this testimony from her chaplain and from me, a prison evangelist and personal friend. This is also the account given by virtually everyone who knew her, officers and inmates alike. She was a "gem"

Saved in the Harris County Jail

           Karla had been in Harris County jail several months when she accepted Christ. In those days, as her system was purged from the drugs and she began to think more clearly, she was able to see some things that had been 'clouded by the drugs'. "A group from Teen Challenge came to the Harris County Jail with a puppet show. Many people had been asking me to go to church and to go to the Bible studies but I was not interested."

She Always Stood Out

           Many times I was with Karla Faye and other death row inmates for Bible Studies. She always stood out because of her bright smile and joy that showed in her eyes. The things I had read about her during the crime were so difficult to accept after knowing her.

           She never offered excuses and always accepted full responsibility for her actions. I don't know how many times I heard her say, "I wish I could just divide up in a million pieces and tell everyone about Jesus and what He has done for me."

           She got to do that through the media coverage of her execution. Millions heard her story and saw the reality in her voice and face. Of all the ugliness associated with execution the media coverage afforded her was a pulpit to spread the news of God's great love and forgiveness.

"The Most Amazing Thing..."

           Karla certainly knew something was wrong in her life, but she still was dealing with her desired reputation of being "Big, bad and mean." "Actually," she said, "the only reason I went to church this time was because everyone in my tank went and there was no one left to talk to, so I went more or less just so I could visit with others." I asked her what happened. "The most amazing thing, I heard about Jesus and forgiveness and I felt such a warm loving feeling that drew me to Him. I knew I had done something so terrible that I didn't even think God could forgive me. I didn't think He could even love me. That day I received Jesus. In a real simple sort of way, but He made such a difference in my life, I can't even explain."

No One Could Tell Me Anything

           "If people who get into drugs only knew what Jesus could do they would never desire anything else." I doubt if anyone could have told me that though, there was a point in my life when I didn't listen to nobody. No one could tell me anything. It is so sad that I had to have such a terrible experience before I found him."

           "He makes a difference in what you feel and how you feel about things. You can always overcome anything when you have Jesus to help you. I know that now. I know that. I wish I could divide myself in a million pieces and go tell the whole world about Him. In a sense I now have that opportunity because of all the news media and exposure that is intended to be negative." What Satan means for evil God intends for good. God is able to turn the most destructive situations into something of beauty. He is faithful to do that.

           Karla said, "From time to time it gets really, really rough, but Jesus never said it would be easy. In fact, He said there would be tribulation, but not to worry because he had overcome the world. In these hard times Jesus had promised to give me strength and He has never failed me! There are those who will always doubt my change, but that's okay, too."

I Am a New Person in Jesus

Don Dickerman's Interview with Karla on Video