Lionel Tate: Twisted Tale of a Teen Killer

Lionel Tate, a 13-year-old teenager, cries in the courtroom after receiving a life sentence for the brutal murder of a 6-year-old girl in the United States in 2001.

Lionel Tate was only 12 years old when he was charged with murdering his 6-year old playmate, Tiffany Eunick.

Tate claimed that he was performing wrestling moves on Tiffany while his mother slept in another room. Tate had a notable fascination with the WWF. In court, he went into detail about the moves of his favorite wrestler, “The Rock” (Dwayne Johnson).

However, medical examiners determined that Tiffany’s bruises were more consistent with a repeated attack with fists and feet.

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At the age of 13, Lionel Tate was convicted of 1st Degree murder and became the youngest American to ever be sentenced to life in prison

Two and a half years later, under public pressure, the sentence was changed to a year of probation and 10 years of probation. He was released from prison in January 2004.

A year later he committed an armed robbery, and then assault with grievous bodily harm. The new sentence was 30 years in prison without the right to parole.