History of Dylann Roof in Timeline
Dylann Roof is an American white supremacist and neo-Nazi who committed the Charleston church shooting on June 17, 2015. He killed nine African Americans during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, including senior pastor Clementa C. Pinckney, and injured another person. Roof confessed to the shooting, stating his motive was to incite a race war. He was apprehended in Shelby, North Carolina, following a manhunt. His actions have been widely condemned as domestic terrorism.
April 3, 1994: Dylann Roof's Birth
On April 3, 1994, Dylann Storm Roof was born. He is known for being an American mass murderer, white supremacist, and neo-Nazi who perpetrated the Charleston church shooting.
November 1999: Father's Marriage to Paige Mann
In November 1999, Dylann Roof's father, Franklin Bennett Roof, married Paige Mann (née Hastings).
2005: Family Move to Florida Keys
Around 2005, Dylann Roof's family temporarily moved to the Florida Keys.
2008: Return from Florida Keys
Around 2008, Dylann Roof's family moved back from the Florida Keys.
2009: Exhibiting Obsessive Compulsive Behavior
According to a 2009 affidavit filed for his father's divorce, Dylann Roof exhibited obsessive compulsive behavior and began smoking marijuana in middle school.
2010: Dropped Out of School
In 2010, Dylann Roof stopped attending classes and dropped out of school, spending his time playing video games and taking drugs.
2012: Development of White Supremacist Views
In 2012, according to his manifesto, Dylann Roof developed his white supremacist views after reading about the killing of Trayvon Martin and Black-on-white crime.
February 9, 2015: Website Registration
On February 9, 2015, Dylann Roof registered the domain name lastrhodesian.com, the website that would later be found containing his manifesto and photos.
February 28, 2015: Arrest for Drug Possession
On February 28, 2015, Dylann Roof was arrested at the Columbiana Centre for drug possession after being found with Suboxone without a valid prescription and was banned from the mall.
March 13, 2015: Investigation for Loitering and Firearm Accessories
On March 13, 2015, Dylann Roof was investigated for loitering and was found to have a forearm grip for an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and six unloaded magazines in his car. He admitted wanting to purchase an AR-15 but lacked the funds.
April 26, 2015: Arrest for Trespassing
On April 26, 2015, Dylann Roof was arrested for trespassing on the grounds of the Columbiana Centre mall in violation of a ban. The ban was extended for three additional years.
June 17, 2015: Charleston Church Shooting
On June 17, 2015, Dylann Roof committed the Charleston church shooting during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, killing nine African Americans and injuring one. He was later arrested and confessed to hoping to ignite a race war.
June 17, 2015: Last Modified Website
According to web server logs, Roof's website was last modified at 4:44 p.m. on June 17, 2015, when Roof noted, "[A]t the time of [this] writing I am in a great hurry."
June 18, 2015: Confession to Charleston Attack
On June 18, 2015, the day he was captured, Dylann Roof confessed to committing the Charleston church shooting with the intention of starting a race war.
June 19, 2015: Charges and Court Appearance
On June 19, 2015, Dylann Roof was charged with nine counts of murder and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime. He appeared in court by video conference, where survivors and relatives of victims offered forgiveness. Governor Nikki Haley called for the death penalty.
June 20, 2015: Discovery of "The Last Rhodesian" Website
On June 20, 2015, a website registered to Dylann Roof, lastrhodesian.com, was discovered, containing photos of him posing with white supremacist symbols and a manifesto.
July 7, 2015: Indictment on Attempted Murder Charges
On July 7, 2015, Dylann Roof was indicted on three new charges of attempted murder for each person who survived the Charleston church shooting.
July 10, 2015: FBI Director Comey on Gun Purchase Lapses
On July 10, 2015, FBI Director James Comey stated that Dylann Roof was able to purchase the gun used in the attack due to lapses in the FBI's background-check system.
July 2015: FBI Director James Comey Speaks About Roof's February Arrest
In July 2015, FBI Director James Comey spoke about Roof's February arrest, explaining that it was initially incorrectly written as a felony due to a data entry error. This error had implications for firearms background checks.
July 16, 2015: Trial Scheduled in State Court
On July 16, 2015, Dylann Roof's trial in state court was scheduled to start on July 11, 2016.
July 31, 2015: Roof Pleads Not Guilty
On July 31, 2015, Dylann Roof, at the urging of his lawyer David Bruck, pleaded not guilty to the federal charges against him. Roof wanted to plead guilty, but Bruck was unwilling to advise a guilty plea until the government decided whether to seek the death penalty.
September 2015: Announcement of Capital Punishment in State Prosecution
In September 2015, it was announced that Dylann Roof would face capital punishment in his state prosecution.
October 23, 2015: Reappearance in State Court
On October 23, 2015, Dylann Roof reappeared in state court before Judge Nicholson.
2015: Drafting Manifesto
In 2015, Dylann Roof drafted one of the manifestos recovered from his vehicle.
2015: Rants About Racial Issues and Plans to Kill
In 2015, Dylann Roof reportedly ranted about the killing of Trayvon Martin and the Baltimore protests, claiming "Blacks were taking over the world" and told people of his plans to kill people.
April 2016: State Trial Delay
In April 2016, Dylann Roof's state trial was delayed to January 17, 2017.
May 2016: Announcement of Capital Punishment in Federal Prosecution
In May 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Dylann Roof would face capital punishment in his federal prosecution as well.
May 24, 2016: Justice Department Seeks Death Penalty
On May 24, 2016, the Justice Department announced they would seek the death penalty for Dylann Roof, making him the first person in U.S. history to face the death penalty on both federal and state charges at the same time.
June 9, 2016: Roof Requests Bench Trial
On June 9, 2016, Dylann Roof, through his lawyers, announced that he did not want to be tried by a jury. Instead, Roof wanted the judge presiding over his case to hear the case entirely by himself. The judge denied that motion after the prosecution opposed Roof's request.
June 2016: Jury Selection Postponement
In June 2016, the jury selection process for Dylann Roof's state trial was initially expected to start, but it was later postponed in November 2016.
July 11, 2016: Trial Scheduled to start in State Court
Dylann Roof's trial in state court was scheduled to start on July 11, 2016.
August 2, 2016: Lawyers Challenge Capital Punishment Laws
On August 2, 2016, Dylann Roof's lawyers filed a motion arguing that the federal capital punishment laws were unconstitutional.
August 4, 2016: Roof Beaten by Inmate
On August 4, 2016, Dylann Roof was beaten by a fellow inmate, Dwayne Marion Stafford, while detained at the Charleston County Detention Center, suffering bruising to the face and body.
August 2016: Recovery of Additional Manifestos and Writings
According to court documents filed in August 2016, Dylann Roof drafted two other manifestos, one in 2015 and the other in jail, along with a list of churches and a "selection of victims."
August 2016: Federal Prosecutors on Roof's Radicalization
In August 2016, federal prosecutors stated that Dylann Roof was "self-radicalized" online, rather than influenced by personal associations or experiences with white supremacist groups.
August 23, 2016: Federal Prosecutors Announce Expert Witnesses
On August 23, 2016, federal prosecutors announced their intention to call thirteen expert witnesses at trial, including white supremacy experts, to testify on Roof's extremist ideology.
August 31, 2016: Judge Orders In Camera Hearing
Around August 31, 2016, District Judge Richard Gergel ordered an in camera hearing to be held on September 1 to rule on the admissibility of some potentially explosive evidence.
September 1, 2016: Hearing Set for Evidence
On August 23, 2016, court documents indicated the presence of extensive incriminating evidence against Roof, and a hearing was set for September 1, 2016.
September 6, 2016: Prosecutors Seek to Bar Juror Mercy Requests
On September 6, 2016, federal prosecutors filed a motion seeking to bar Dylann Roof's attorneys from asking the jurors for mercy during sentencing should he be found guilty.
September 26, 2016: Jury Selection Begins
On September 26, 2016, jury selection began for Dylann Roof's trial. The initial pool of three thousand candidates was narrowed down to the final jury.
November 8, 2016: Competency Evaluation Ordered
On November 8, 2016, District Court judge Richard M. Gergel ordered a competency evaluation for Dylann Roof, scheduled for November 16, 2016. He also postponed the jury selection to November 21, 2016.
November 14, 2016: Competency Hearing Delayed
On November 14, 2016, Gergel delayed the competency hearing to November 17, 2016.
November 2016: Jury Selection Postponement
In November 2016, the jury selection process for Dylann Roof's state trial was postponed.
November 16, 2016: Competency Evaluation Scheduled
On November 8, 2016, District Court judge Richard M. Gergel scheduled Dylann Roof's competency evaluation for November 16, 2016.
November 17, 2016: Competency Hearing Further Delayed
On November 17, 2016, Gergel further delayed the competency hearing for Dylann Roof to November 21, 2016.
November 21, 2016: Jury Selection Postponed
On November 8, 2016, District Court judge Richard M. Gergel postponed the jury selection for Dylann Roof's trial to November 21, 2016.
November 22, 2016: Competency Hearing Ends
On November 22, 2016, the competency hearing for Dylann Roof ended.
November 25, 2016: Roof Declared Competent
On November 25, 2016, Dylann Roof was declared competent to stand trial.
November 28, 2016: Jury Selection Delayed
On November 16, 2016, Gergel delayed the jury selection for Dylann Roof's trial to November 28, 2016.
December 4, 2016: Roof Requests Return of Defense Team
On December 4, 2016, Dylann Roof, in a handwritten request, asked Gergel to give him back his defense team for the guilt phase of his federal death penalty trial.
December 5, 2016: Roof Allowed to Rehire Lawyers
On December 5, 2016, Gergel allowed Dylann Roof to hire back his lawyers for the guilt phase of his trial.
December 6, 2016: Motion to Delay Trial Denied
On December 6, 2016, a federal judge denied a motion by Dylann Roof's defense team to delay Roof's trial.
December 7, 2016: Federal Trial Begins
On December 7, 2016, Dylann Roof's federal trial began with a jury consisting of "two black women, eight white women, one white man and one black man".
December 15, 2016: Conviction on Federal Charges
On December 15, 2016, Dylann Roof was convicted in federal court on all 33 federal charges against him stemming from the Charleston church shooting, including hate crimes.
December 28, 2016: Roof to Proceed Without Attorneys
At a court hearing on December 28, 2016, Dylann Roof reiterated that he would proceed with the sentencing phase without attorneys.
January 3, 2017: Motion to Declare Incompetent Denied
On January 3, 2017, Judge Gergel denied a motion, submitted under seal by Dylann Roof's court-appointed counsel, that sought to have Roof declared incompetent.
January 10, 2017: Jury Recommends Death Penalty
On January 10, 2017, the jury recommended the death penalty for Dylann Roof.
January 11, 2017: Sentenced to Death
On January 11, 2017, Dylann Roof was sentenced to death in federal court for the crimes related to the Charleston church shooting.
January 2017: State Trial Further Delayed
In January 2017, Dylann Roof's state trial was delayed again.
January 17, 2017: State Trial Delay
On January 17, 2017, Dylann Roof's state trial was delayed again.
March 31, 2017: Guilty Plea in State Court
On March 31, 2017, Dylann Roof agreed to plead guilty in South Carolina state court to all state charges to avoid a second death sentence, accepting a sentence of life in prison without parole.
April 10, 2017: Sentenced to Life Without Parole
On April 10, 2017, Dylann Roof was sentenced to nine consecutive sentences of life without parole after pleading guilty to state murder charges.
April 19, 2017: Federal Authorities Take Custody
On April 19, 2017, federal authorities took custody of Dylann Roof and transferred him to FTC Oklahoma City.
May 10, 2017: Motion for New Trial Denied
On May 10, 2017, Judge Gergel denied Dylann Roof's motion for a new trial. On the same day, Gergel unsealed psychiatric reports from two court-ordered exams of Roof performed by James Ballenger.
August 30, 2019: Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling
On August 30, 2019, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the survivors and families of the deceased could sue the federal government regarding the Charleston Church shooting.
January 2020: Death Sentence Appeal
In January 2020, it was reported that Dylann Roof was appealing his death sentence, arguing that representing himself deprived the jury of extenuating information about his mental illness.
July 2020: "Bowl Patrol" Neo-Nazi Group Still Active
As of July 2020, a neo-Nazi group named the "Bowl Patrol," after Roof's hairstyle, was still active, five years after the Charleston church shooting.
May 25, 2021: Appeal Process Begins
On May 25, 2021, Dylann Roof's lawyers began an appeal process before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit claiming that Roof was "too disconnected from reality" to represent himself at the federal trial.
August 25, 2021: Appeal Rejected
On August 25, 2021, a panel of the Fourth Circuit unanimously rejected Dylann Roof's appeal and upheld the death sentence.
September 10, 2021: Attorneys Appeal Judges' Ruling
On September 10, 2021, Dylann Roof's attorneys appealed the judges' ruling.
September 24, 2021: Federal Court Declines Appeal Case
On September 24, 2021, a federal court declined to take the appeal case against the panel's decision.
October 28, 2021: Settlement with the Federal Government
On October 28, 2021, it was confirmed that the federal government would pay $88 million in settlements to the survivors and families of the Charleston church shooting victims. Individual settlements were being filed in the U.S. District Court in Columbia.
March 2, 2022: Attorneys Ask Supreme Court to Resolve Dispute
On March 2, 2022, attorneys for Dylann Roof announced that they had asked the Supreme Court to resolve the dispute between them and their client over the mental illness defense.
October 11, 2022: Supreme Court Denies Appeal
On October 11, 2022, it was announced that the Supreme Court had denied Dylann Roof's appeal without comment.
2022: Buffalo Shooting Perpetrator Referred to Roof
In 2022, the perpetrator of the Buffalo shooting, Payton Gendron, referred to Dylann Roof in his manifesto as an inspiration and wrote Roof's name on one of his guns.
December 2024: Biden Excludes Roof from Commutations
In December 2024, President Joe Biden announced commutations for the death sentences of 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, excluding Dylann Roof because of his conviction for hate-motivated mass murder related crimes.
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