ACCOMPLICE REFLECTS ON MURDERS

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- John G. Browne Jr. says he never planned to kill his best friend, Curtis Scheper.

"It was just supposed to be a robbery, and that was it," said Browne, 29 who was sentenced in 1993 to life in prison for second-degree murder in the deaths of Sherry Scheper and her sons, Randy, 17, and Curtis, 21.

Gary Lee Roll of Cape Girardeau, who was convicted of first-degree murder in the deaths, is scheduled to be executed at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

Browne is an inmate at the Farmington Correctional Center along with accomplice David Rhodes. Browne said he would have tried to stop the killings if he had only known they were coming.

"If I had it to do all over again, I would have gone in the house," said Browne, who waited outside the Schepers' Cape Girardeau home for Roll and Rhodes during the killings. He was afraid of being identified during the robbery.

"I either would have stopped Gary, or I would have been in the same predicament as Curtis, Randy and Mrs. Scheper," Browne said.

Browne and Curtis had been friends for years. The two had been in the same special- education classes in school from primary grades through high school, the inmate said. Browne always protected Curtis, who had mental disabilities.

Once, during their senior year in high school, Browne said he was kicked out of school for defending Curtis.

"If you messed with Curtis, 'John Boy' was coming after you," Browne said. "They all knew that. Even the teachers."

Roll and Browne had known each other for a short time. They met in early 1992 through Roll's teen-age son.

Browne recalls spending his time in Roll's house on narcotics.

"We were always over there smoking weed and doing acid," he said.

The evening of Aug. 8, 1992, Browne and Rhodes were at Roll's playing Nintendo games and taking LSD when the idea of robbing a drug dealer came up. Browne said he went along with the plan since he didn't expect anyone to get hurt.

When they went to a house on Lorimier Street looking for a drug dealer, the voice of a little girl inside made Browne and Rhodes stop.

Browne believes that two girls were in the house along with their mother.

"I wasn't going to allow them to see whatever was going to take place," Browne said.

After their unsuccessful attempt at a robbery, the three men returned to Roll's house. While Rhodes went to sleep, Browne said he and Roll stayed up talking about other drug dealers they could rob.

They settled on Randy Scheper.

Browne explained the layout of the Schepers' residence to Roll, although Roll and Browne had been there together about two months before to buy marijuana, Browne said.

When Roll, Rhodes and Browne arrived at the Schepers' home in Roll's pickup truck, Browne stayed outside to avoid being recognized.

After waiting a few minutes, Browne walked around the house and looked in Randy Scheper's bedroom window and then a hallway window. Browne said he heard a gunshot as he looked through the hallway window.

Not knowing what was happening, Browne said he decided to go back to the front of the house and wait.

When Rhodes came out of the house, Browne understood something more than a robbery was occurring. Rhodes was pale and scared.

"I didn't know what was going on until Gary came out," Browne said.

Barely anything was said as the three drove back to Rhodes house, Browne said.

Roll went straight into his kitchen to wash blood and hair from his .357-caliber revolver. Browne didn't want to bother him, he said.

About 30 minutes later Roll came in and sat down on the couch. His explanation to Browne was short.

"He just said, 'I had to do it,'" Browne said. "I didn't sleep the rest of that night. I still wasn't comprehending what he was saying. I couldn't believe it."

Curtis Scheper had been stabbed in the back with Roll's knife.

Browne had not thought Curtis would become involved.

"I didn't think he would come upstairs," said Browne, referring to Curtis' room in the basement. "He had his own little house downstairs."

Browne began to worry about his own safety when he started noticing changes in Roll. Roll acted paranoid, Browne said. He would place tape on his back door to see if someone had entered. Roll's guns and knives, which were locked up before, were lying on a table and couch in his living room, Browne said.

Browne decided for personal security to make a taped conversation with Roll talking about the murders.

Browne gave the tape to a friend, Ben Roberts, who turned it over to police the next day. Browne said he thought Roberts would give the tape to detective Zeb Williams, but not that fast.

Browne's seven years in prison are not going fast, he said. When he doesn't work in the prison's mattress-making plant, he sits outside and sometimes plays softball.

"Most of the time here I keep to myself," Browne said.

Browne sees his accomplice, Rhodes, nearly every day. But they never talk, he said.

"It's different now between me and him," Browne said.

When Browne was formerly housed in the Potosi Correctional Center, he and Roll lived in the same cellblock. One time, coming back from the infirmary, they talked.

"He asked me if I remembered the Nintendo game we played that night," Browne said.

Browne has said all he wants to Roll. "Even with his execution, I still wouldn't say anything to him," Browne said. "Because even if he doesn't get executed, he'll have to live with it the rest of his life."

Browne said he still sees Curtis Scheper in his nightmares.

His hope is that someday Curtis' father will forgive him.

"I want to say to 'Pops,' that's Mr. Scheper, that I'm sorry for what took place, and I wouldn't mind talking to him," Browne said.