Female Death Row Inmate: Sue Basso

Suzanne (Sue) Margaret Basso was born on May 15, 1954 in Albany County, located in Schenectady, New York. Sue had a terrible childhood. As a young child, her father continually abused her physically and sexually. During her teenage years, Basso became a troubled delinquent and spent a great deal of time in a reform school. However, she graduated from high school with a diploma. Sue Basso worked as an office clerk, a common laborer, and a seamstress throughout the next few years. Basso was a short woman who was only 5´2"tall. She was stocky at 140 lbs. Basso was 44 years old at the time of the crime.

In the early 1970´s, Sue married a marine, James Peek. They had two children together, but did not live a happily, married life. Although Sue was sexually promiscuous, James Peek tolerated this throughout the marriage, partly because he was also a troubled individual. Sue Basso and her husband abused their children physically, sexually, and emotionally over the years. James served 11 months for abusing their daughter in 1982.

After moving around from North Carolina to Texas and back to North Carolina, the family ended up in Texas in 1990. Sue gained weight until she was 350 pounds. After her increase in wieght, Basso changed other aspects of her life. She changed the family name to O´Malley, decorated in Irish themes, and took in all kinds of people to her home.

Sue took up with Carmine Basso, who moved into her home and bedroom. Strangely, her husband, James Peek, remained in the home for a few months before leaving for good. Although Sue and Carmine weren't able to marry, she took his name. During a trip to New Jersey to visit Carmine's family, Sue met Buddy Musso, a 59 year-old male with low mental capacities. Carmine died of esophagitis at this time, and Sue began to woo Buddy as a lover.

On June 14, 1998, Buddy moved to Texas to be with his "true love." Friends and family were suspicious of this heavily overweight woman who was 15 years younger than Buddy. The gentle man was systematically tortured for ten weeks. His distress was extreme. No one came to save this man who was found dead weeks later. The authorities found a note in the pocket of a pair of his pants begging for help. He had been beaten with hands, feet, belts, and baseball bats. Six individuals were charged with his beating and cubsequent death.

It was determined that Buddy died after a violent beating by the six co-defendants on August 25, 1998. A jogger found his body in Galena Park, a suburb of Houston. Several of the co-defendants confessed to their part in the murder.

A life insurance policy worth $15,000 with an additional $45,000 in case of a violent death was discovered to be the motive for the murder. Sue Basso was listed as the beneficiary.

Basso and six codefendants were convicted of brutally torturing and murdering a retarded, Caucasian male. Sue Basso was convicted on September 1, 1999 and is currently on death row.