Willie Horton
William Horton, born William Robert Horton on August 12, 1951, in South Carolina, is an American felon. He was convicted of first‑degree murder, armed robbery, rape, and assault for the 1974 killing of 17‑year‑old Joseph Fournier in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Horton and two others were involved; all three were convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
In 1986, Horton was released for a weekend furlough but did not return. He fled to Florida and then Maryland. In April 1987, in Oxon Hill, Maryland, Horton kidnapped, raped, and robbed a woman after pistol‑whipping and stabbing her fiancé. He was arrested and, in December 1987, sentenced to two life terms plus 85 years. The judge refused to return him to Massachusetts, saying Horton should never be released.
As of December 30, 2025, Horton was incarcerated at the Jessup Correctional Institution in Maryland.
Horton’s case became a major issue in the 1988 presidential campaign between George H. W. Bush and Michael Dukakis. Bush and supporters used Horton to attack Dukakis, arguing that the Massachusetts furlough program allowed Horton to commit more crimes. Campaign ads, including “Weekend Passes” and “Revolving Door,” depicted Horton and were controversial for alleged racial overtones. Horton has said the ads distorted him and apologized to Dukakis for his role in the election.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 14:23 (CET).