BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. (TCN) — A 32-year-old man who gouged out his own eyes while in jail has been sentenced to life in prison for killing a man who picked him up while hitchhiking.
On Oct. 14, 2024, 43-year-old Bruce Dupree pulled over to pick up Robert Keller, who was hitchhiking along I-16, the New York Post reports. Keller was under the influence of drugs at the time and killed Dupree, dragged his body to a median, and drove off in Dupree’s car. Keller was found at a hotel with the stolen car and taken into custody.
WSAV reports Keller was found guilty July 8 of all 10 counts he was charged with: four counts of felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, armed robbery, hijacking a motor vehicle in the first degree, and possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of a felony.
According to Law & Crime, Keller bit off part of his tongue and gouged out his eyes while jailed. He underwent evaluations by two psychologists to determine whether he was competent to stand trial. Both ruled he was competent; Dr. Jeremy Gay said Keller “was not suffering from either a delusional compulsion at the time of the crime or an inability to distinguish right and wrong at the time of the crime.”
Keller reportedly told employees at the jail that he harmed himself because he wanted to “cover his ass” and be placed in a medical prison, per the New York Post.
Keller spoke in court, saying “I’m a divine being. … I am here by special presentation and appearance of the entity known as Robert Brandon Lewis Keller. I would like the ability to be trusted, to tell the truth, but this is not the setting I trust to do so.”
Before sentencing Keller to two consecutive sentences of life in prison without parole, WSAV reports Judge Matthew Hube said, “On October 14, 2024, Mr. Dupree represented the best of us; he stopped and helped someone that he thought was in need. … On October 14, 2024, Mr. Keller represented the worst of us. He took advantage of someone trying to help and left a trial of wreckage in his wake.”
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