Usually, I think the death penalty is a bad idea- mostly because it's much more costly than simply keeping someone in prison for the rest of their lives.

With inflation, the average cost of a death penalty case in 2014 was $3.8 million vs. $1.3 million for life in prison, according to TCADP.

However, monsters like William Lewis Reece make the millions seem worth it. He was convicted of the murders of three women and a 12-year-old Texas girl.

Read More: Texas Cold Case: Missing Girl's Body Found On Her 8th Birthday

He was also convicted of kidnapping and sexual assault.

Even though most of his murders happened in Texas (that we know of anyway) Reece will be executed in Oklahoma- if he lives that long.

Why do the honors go to our neighbors to the north?

Because Reece confessed to the Texas crimes on the condition he would not get the death penalty. Oklahoma didn't make the same offer.

And honestly, Texas made the right choice, because it was likely the only way some of these women's remains were ever found.

Reece is currently locked up in the Polunsky Unit here in Texas.

A Brave Survivor

Reece was caught because of the bravery of one of his victims, who managed to survive his attack with severe injuries.

Sandra Sapaugh was 19 years old in 1997. According to CBD News, she was abducted by Reece but broke her restraints and jumped out of the moving truck, injuring herself badly.

Read More: Burned To Bones: Texas Teen Still Deserves Justice 31 Years Later l

Reece received 60 years for the crime because he had two previous sexual assault convictions in Oklahoma.

DNA advancements lead to Reece

In 2013 a swab from Reece was found to match DNA found on Tiffany Johnston, a 19-year-old Oklahoma woman whose remains were found next to an unpaved rural road in 1997.

Oklahoma shared the results with Texas, believing there could be a connection to the murders of Laura Smither (12), Kelli Cox (20), and Jessica Cain (17).

Because Texas took the threat of the death penalty off of the table, Jessica and Kelli's remains were finally discovered, nearly 20 years after their disappearances.

Reece insists he has nothing to do with any other murders in the Texas/ Oklahoma area.

Reece's Oklahoma execution does not yet have a set date, so in the meantime, he sits imprisoned here in Texas.

At 65, he may die of old age here in Texas.