Rod Ferrell

Rod Ferrell 2023 mugshot

American convicted murderer

Rod Ferrell

Name	Rod Ferrell
Birth name
Birth date	Birth date -1st March 1966
Birth place	Murray, Kentucky, U.S.
Death date
Death place
Alma mater
Occupation
Years active
Organization
Known for	Murder of Richard and Naoma Wendorf
Notable works
Spouse(s)
Website

Roderrick Justin "Rod" Ferrell (born March 28, 1979) is an American convicted murderer who was a member of a vampire cult. He was convicted of the 1996 double murder of Richard and Naoma Wendorf in Eustis, Florida. At the time of the murders, Ferrell was 16 years old, making him the youngest person in the United States on death row until his sentence was reduced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Early Life

Rod Ferrell was born in Murray, Kentucky. He had a troubled childhood, marked by allegations of abuse and neglect. Ferrell became involved in a vampire subculture during his teenage years, which played a significant role in the events leading up to the murders.

The Vampire Cult

Ferrell was the leader of a small group of teenagers who referred to themselves as a vampire clan. The group engaged in role-playing and rituals that they believed would transform them into vampires. This subculture fascinated Ferrell and influenced his actions.

The Murders

On November 25, 1996, Rod Ferrell and his accomplices, including Heather Wendorf, the daughter of the victims, traveled from Kentucky to Eustis, Florida. Ferrell and his friend, Scott Anderson, entered the Wendorf home and brutally murdered Richard and Naoma Wendorf with a crowbar. The motive behind the murders was reportedly to help Heather Wendorf escape from what she described as an abusive household.

Arrest and Trial

Ferrell and his accomplices were arrested in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, several days after the murders. During the trial, Ferrell pleaded guilty to the murders, and in 1998, he was sentenced to death. However, in 2000, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole due to his age at the time of the crime.

Incarceration

Rod Ferrell is currently serving his sentence at the Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida. His case has been the subject of various documentaries and true crime shows, highlighting the influence of the vampire subculture on his actions.

See Also

• List of youngest killers
• List of people sentenced to death in the United States
• List of people who were executed as children