Samuel Little, 78, made news again recently because of word that he may be connected to 90 or more murders nationwide. Official court records show he was arrested in Lubbock in 2006 for shoplifting.
Ultimately in Lubbock, he pleaded guilty to theft and served 14 days in jail.
More recently, in July, Little was extradited from California to Odessa to stand trial for a 1994 murder. He was already convicted of murder in Los Angeles and serving a life sentence at the time of his extradition.
A 2013 online article from ABC News said, “As investigators began looking into Little’s past, they discovered a rap sheet that stretched for more than 100 pages, covering crimes in 24 states over 56 years.”
“His criminal record provides an astonishing account of his whereabouts on an almost monthly basis for decades,” ABC News said in 2013. “In a terrifying number of cases, an unsolved murder occurred at a time and place where Little lived.”
Media reports indicate that his DNA linked him to the California murders when he was arrested in Kentucky at a homeless shelter for possessing a crack pipe.
Lubbock Police records indicated that Little was staying at a specific address in Lubbock that served as a homeless shelter.
The Lubbock Police report about shoplifting from 2006 said Little “had a basket full of un-bagged merchandise and was looking around nervously.”
The police report said he took a kitchen knife off the shelf and then took it out of its package. He used the knife to open DVD cases, according to the report. He covered the items in the basket with toilet paper and bags and then “walked past all cashiers and exited the store, making no attempt to pay for the items.”
The report said the shoplifting case was at Walmart at 702 West Loop.
EverythingLubbock put in a request with Lubbock Police to see if Little was suspected of any unsolved murders locally. In response, police said:
“Lubbock Police Department investigators are aware of Samuel Little. They will look at unsolved cases during the time frame he is suspected of living in the Lubbock area to see if there are any connections.”