Editing Byron Looper

{{Short description|American convicted murderer and political assassin}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name              = Byron (Low Tax) Looper
| image             = Byron Looper.jpg
| image_size        = 
| alt               = 
| caption           = [[Mugshot]] of Looper
| birth_name        = Byron Anthony Looper
| birth_date        = {{birth date|1964|09|15}}
| birth_place       = [[Cookeville, Tennessee]], U.S.
| death_date        = {{death date and age|2013|06|26|1964|09|15}}
| death_place       = [[Morgan County Correctional Complex]], [[Wartburg, Tennessee]], U.S.
| resting_place     = 
| alias             = Low Tax
| motive            = 
| conviction        = [[First degree murder]]
| conviction_penalty = [[Life imprisonment without parole]]
| conviction_status = Deceased
| occupation        = 
| module            = {{Infobox officeholder|embed=yes
| office              = Putnam County Tax Assessor
| term_start          = 1996
| term_end            = 1998
| predecessor         = 
| successor           =  
}}
}}

'''Byron (Low Tax) Looper''' (born '''Byron Anthony Looper'''; September 15, 1964 &ndash; June 26, 2013) was a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] turned [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[politician]] in [[Tennessee]] and convicted [[murderer]]. To advance his political career, he legally changed his middle name from "Anthony" to "(Low Tax)", including the parentheses. After being convicted for the October 1998 murder of his election opponent, incumbent [[Tennessee State Senate|Tennessee State Senator]] [[Tommy Burks]], he was given a life sentence in prison. He died in prison in 2013.

== Early life, education and early career ==

Byron Looper was born in [[Cookeville, Tennessee]]. He spent most of his childhood in [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], where his father, Aaron Looper, was a school superintendent.<ref name= "SuspectRanAP">{{cite news| website= highbeam.com | url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-19514471.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141011093650/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-19514471.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 11, 2014 |title= Suspect ran relentlessly for political office |date=October 24, 1998 | first=Allen G. | last= Breed |publisher= |agency= Associated Press |access-date=June 5, 2012}} {{subscription required}}</ref>

Looper attended the [[U.S. Military Academy]] at West Point from 1983 to 1985, but he was given an [[honorable discharge]] following what he said was a serious knee injury. After being discharged, he moved to Georgia, where he attended the [[University of Georgia]] and worked for the state legislature after graduation.<ref name="SuspectRanAP" /><ref name="looper">{{cite web| url= http://archive.deseretnews.com/archive/659004/Political-opponent-charged-in-slaying.html|title=Political opponent charged in slaying|date=October 23, 1998|work=Deseret News|access-date=March 22, 2009}}{{dead link|date=November 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name="looper2">{{cite news |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-24-mn-35639-story.html|title=Tennessee Lawmaker Killed; Election Opponent Arrested|last= Moehringer|first=J.R.|date=October 24, 1998|work=The Los Angeles Times|access-date=March 22, 2009| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121005173950/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/oct/24/news/mn-35639|archive-date=October 5, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1988, Looper ran for the [[Georgia House of Representatives]] as a [[United States Democratic Party|Democrat]], losing to [[Wyc Orr]] in the Democratic primary.<ref name="SuspectRanAP" /><ref name="AccessNorthGA2002" /> He enrolled as a graduate student in the Stetson School of Business and Economics at [[Mercer University]] in [[Atlanta]]. He continued his political involvement as an officer in the Georgia [[Young Democrats of America|Young Democrats]] organization and as a campaign worker in [[Al Gore]]'s 1988 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination and the 1992 [[Bill Clinton 1992 presidential campaign|Clinton–Gore presidential campaign]].<ref name= "SuspectRanAP" />

== Career ==
In 1992, Looper returned to Tennessee and became a [[United States Republican Party|Republican]]. He lost a race for the [[Tennessee House of Representatives]] in 1994, when he ran against incumbent legislator [[Jere Hargrove]].<ref name= "SuspectRanAP" />

In 1996, he legally changed his middle name from Anthony to "(Low Tax)" and ran successfully for the post of [[Putnam County, Tennessee|Putnam County]] tax assessor, defeating a 14-year incumbent after a campaign in which he did not make any public appearances nor participate in debates, instead relying heavily on negative [[campaign ad]]s.<ref name="SuspectRanAP" /><ref name= "BostonGlobe2000">{{cite news |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8611691.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141011214556/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8611691.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 11, 2014 | title=High Drama in Tenn. Trial of 'Low Tax' Candidate Convicted of Killing Incumbent |newspaper=Boston Globe | first= Krista | last= Reese |date=August 27, 2000 |access-date=June 5, 2012}} {{subscription required}}</ref>

As tax assessor, Looper used his office's equipment to send numerous [[press release]]s to Tennessee news media, making positive claims about himself and alleging various shortcomings on the part of other local officials.<ref name= "WashPost23Oct98">{{cite news| url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-698907.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141011093644/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-698907.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 11, 2014 |title=In Tennessee, a Lawmaker Dies and His Rival Vanishes; Police Seek to Question GOP Challenger In Shooting That Shook Rural Community |first=Sue Anne | last= Pressley |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 23, 1998 |access-date=June 5, 2012}} {{subscription required}}</ref> He seldom went to work, and many instances of irregularities in property tax assessments were reported.<ref name="BostonGlobe2000" />

In March 1998, following an investigation by the [[Tennessee Bureau of Investigation]], Looper was [[indicted]] on 14 counts of official misconduct, theft of services and official oppression for theft, misuse of county property, and misuse of county employees.<ref name="BostonGlobe2000" /><ref name= "WashPost23Oct98" /> He claimed the charges were politically motivated due to Democratic control of Putnam County politics and the [[Tennessee General Assembly]]. The ''Cookeville Herald-Citizen'' newspaper regularly reported the Republican tax assessor's bizarre antics and public verbal assaults of Putnam County elected officials. The Tennessee Republican Party soon claimed no connection with Looper.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Moehringer |first=J. r |date=1998-10-24 |title=Tennessee Lawmaker Killed; Election Opponent Arrested |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-24-mn-35639-story.html |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

The ouster suit led to Looper's removal from office in January 1999.<ref>[http://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?page=2&xmldoc=200027586SW3d189_1275.xml&docbase=CSLWAR2-1986-2006&SizeDisp=7 Final Ouster Appeal], ''State ex rel. Jones v. Looper'', 86 SW 3d 189&nbsp;– Tenn: Court of Appeals, Middle Section</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.tmaa.us/pdfs/09winter/beyke_feb09.pdf |title=The Ins and Outs of Ouster |first=Karen | last= Beyke |pages=11–12 |date=February 2009 |publisher=Tennessee Municipal Attorneys' Association |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140611183544/http://www.tmaa.us/pdfs/09winter/beyke_feb09.pdf |archive-date=2014-06-11 }}</ref>

Looper also faced legal problems from a former girlfriend, who sued him for $1.2&nbsp;million, saying that she became pregnant and bore a child after he [[rape]]d her and that he had used his official position to steal her house.<ref name="WashPost23Oct98" /> Earlier, he had run campaign ads in which he falsely represented the same girlfriend as his wife.<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-53139268 |title=A Tragic Southern Twist (Republican charged with murder of Democratic Senator Tommy Burks) |newspaper= [[Newsweek]] |date=November 2, 1998 |first=Jill Jordan | last=Sieder |access-date=June 5, 2012}} {{subscription required}}</ref>

After Looper's removal from office and conviction for murder, prosecutors decided not to pursue the criminal indictments filed in March 1998.<ref name="BostonGlobe2000" />

== 1998 political candidacies ==

In the August 1998 [[Partisan primary|primary]], Looper sought the Republican nominations for both [[Tennessee's 6th congressional district]] and [[Tennessee's 15th Senate district]].<ref name="WashPost23Oct98" /> He failed to obtain the congressional nomination, finishing third in a field of four candidates, but he was unopposed for the state senate nomination. This set up his campaign against incumbent Democratic State Senator [[Tommy Burks]].

Burks had represented Putnam County in the state legislature for 28 years, including four two-year terms in the [[Tennessee House of Representatives]] and five four-year terms in the Tennessee State Senate. A farmer and an old-style conservative [[Southern Democrat]], he was popular in his district. He usually won re-election with ease, and the 1998 campaign was expected to be no different.<ref name="WashPost23Oct98" />

== Assassination of Tommy Burks ==

On the morning of October 19, 1998, authorities were called to investigate an apparent murder at the Burks farm. Tommy Burks' body was found with his head resting on the steering wheel of his pickup truck and a single bullet wound above his left eye. Burks had been speaking moments earlier with a farmhand, Wesley Rex, about work that needed to be done on the farm.

Both men had seen a black car drive by the farm on multiple occasions that morning, driven by a man in [[sunglasses]] and black [[glove]]s. The car had later sped by Rex's truck, allowing Rex to get a view of the driver.<ref name="pop">{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/10/27/senator.killed|title=Farmhand saw suspect with murdered state senator, heard 'pop'|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=October 27, 1998|access-date=August 18, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080229131902/http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/10/27/senator.killed|archive-date=February 29, 2008}}</ref>

[[Cumberland County, Tennessee|Cumberland County]] authorities could not initially find anyone with a plausible motive for murdering Burks, but after seeing a picture of Looper on television, Rex told Burks's widow, [[Charlotte Burks]], that Looper was the man he had seen speeding away in the black car on the morning of the murder.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/coverstory/the-death-of-a-senator-tommy-burks-and-byron-low-tax-looper/article_7176c605-1c9b-53c6-a607-5422e4840953.html|title=The Death of a Senator: Tommy Burks and Byron (Low Tax) Looper|publisher=Nashville Scene|date=August 16, 2018|access-date=December 29, 2021}}</ref>

Looper later turned up in [[Hot Springs, Arkansas]], where he met with a friend, [[United States Marine Corps]] recruiter Joe Bond. Bond and Looper had been friends as children, and Looper had rekindled the friendship in the summer of 1998, largely on the basis of wanting Bond's expertise in [[small arms]]. Bond would eventually become a key witness for the prosecution in Looper's murder trial. Looper had stayed with Bond for a while, talking a great deal about how he had murdered his senate opponent<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oxygen.com/dying-to-belong/crime-time/tennessee-politician-guns-down-opponent-election%3famp|title='I Killed That Dude': Tennessee Politician Guns Down Opponent To Win State Senate Election|publisher=Oxygen|date=September 16, 2018|access-date=December 29, 2021}}</ref> and how he needed, among other things, to change the tires on the car he had used in the murder, as well as hide the car.<ref name="appeal_opinion">{{cite web |last1=Glenn |first1=Judge Alan |title=Opinion, Direct Appeal from the Criminal Court for Cumberland County  No. 5346 |url=https://www.tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/OPINIONS/tcca/PDF/031/looperb.pdf |website=Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts |publisher=Criminal Court of Appeals At Knoxville |access-date=15 April 2025 |page=7 |format=pdf |date=February 3, 2003}}</ref>

Looper was charged with 1st degree murder and arrested on October 23, 1998. He was denied bond.<ref>{{Cite web |title=STATE JONES v. LOOPER (2000) |url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/tn-court-of-appeals/1342738.html |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=Findlaw |language=en-US}}</ref>

Looper was arraigned at a hearing that featured Bond as a surprise witness for the state. During the pretrial phase, Looper attempted to have his former friend disgraced, and shuffled through at least six lawyers, one of whom filed a sealed court document explaining why, for ethical reasons, he could no longer be Looper's attorney.<ref>{{Cite web |title=State of Tennessee v. Byron Looper |url=https://www.tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/OPINIONS/tcca/PDF/031/looperb.pdf}}</ref>

== Campaign after the murder ==

Tennessee state law required that the name of a candidate who died before the election be removed from the [[ballot]], and it did not allow the candidate's party to replace a deceased candidate who died within 30 days of the election.<ref name="pop" /> Accordingly, after Burks's death, Looper became the only candidate listed on the official ballot for Burks's senate seat.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-nov-04-mn-39309-story.html |title=Widow of Tennessee Senator Defeats Rival Accused in Slaying |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=November 4, 1998 |access-date=June 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306193000/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/nov/04/news/mn-39309 |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Several people tried to have Looper's name stricken from the ballot, claiming that Looper's arrest constituted [[moral turpitude]]. The state Republican Party distanced itself from Looper.<ref>{{Cite news |title=NATIONAL DATELINES |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/NATION-DATELINES-3062688.php}}</ref> To prevent Looper from winning the state senate seat on a technicality, Burks's widow was put forth as a [[write-in candidate]] for her husband's seat. Dozens of volunteers helped her campaign, including some Republicans. On election day, Charlotte Burks, as a write-in candidate, won the seat with 30,252 votes (95.18%) against Looper's 1,531 votes (4.82%).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/05/us/the-1998-elections-the-states-candidate-s-widow-wins-in-tennessee.html |title=The 1998 Elections; Candidate's Widow Wins in Tennessee |newspaper=New York Times |date=November 5, 1998 |access-date=February 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180912091941/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/05/us/the-1998-elections-the-states-candidate-s-widow-wins-in-tennessee.html |archive-date=September 12, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sharetngov.tnsosfiles.com/sos/election/results/1998-11/senate.pdf|title=STATE OF TENNESSEE STATE SENATE NOVEMBER 3, 1998 - GENERAL ELECTION|website=[[Tennessee Secretary of State]]|date= December 11, 1998|accessdate=September 2, 2024}}</ref> One of her first initiatives as state senator was to introduce legislation to ensure that the name of any candidate who dies within 40 days of an election could remain on the ballot, thus preventing the situation that occurred after her husband's death.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19981212&id=fM8dAAAAIBAJ&pg=2731,1958827 |title=Bill keeps the dead on ballot |newspaper=Tuscaloosa News |date=December 12, 1998 |page=2B |access-date=October 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517040741/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19981212&id=fM8dAAAAIBAJ&sjid=r6cEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2731,1958827 |archive-date=May 17, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Charlotte Burks won re-election in 2002, 2006, and 2010. She retired after the 2014 election.

== Murder conviction and sentence ==

Looper's [[jury trial]] for murder finally occurred in 2000 after several delays because he repeatedly changed attorneys, most of whom filed a variety of motions requesting a different judge, as well as [[change of venue]]. Ultimately, Looper's trial was not moved; jurors were brought in from [[Sullivan County, Tennessee|Sullivan County]] to reduce the chance that they had been influenced by pretrial publicity. By the time of the trial, a work crew had found the weapon apparently used in the murder, near the junction of Tennessee State Route 111 and I-40.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=96167 |title=Campaign Murder Trial Begins |work= abcnews.go.com| publisher= ABC News |date=August 14, 2000 |access-date= June 7, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141101153411/https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=96167 |archive-date=November 1, 2014 |url-status= live }}</ref>

Wes Rex and Joe Bond were both prominent witnesses for the prosecution, as were two political consultants, who reported having been contacted at various times by Looper, who had told both men that he wanted to run a political race, and felt the surest way to win would be to murder his opponent.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Guilty Verdict in Campaign Murder Trial |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=96060&page=1 |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Witnesses and Evidence — Byron Looper, bizarre Tennessee political assassin, murdered his opponent to win election --- The Crime Library — Crime Library |url=https://www.crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/classics/byron_looper/7.html |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=www.crimelibrary.org}}</ref> [[Tennessee Bureau of Investigation]] expert Sandy Evans testified that the tire tracks at the scene came from Looper's Audi.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/classics/byron_looper/14.html|title=The Trial of Byron Looper|work=CrimeLibrary.org |access-date=January 1, 2022}}</ref> The prosecuting attorney, Tony Craighead, told the jury that Looper had intended to "win this election with a Smith & Wesson."<ref name= "APStraitGuilty" /> For his defense, Looper tried to rely on testimony from his mother and her neighbors, who said he was visiting his mother's home in [[Flowery Branch, Georgia]], on the morning that Burks died, but witnesses he produced to support his [[alibi]] were excluded from testifying because they had not been identified to the court before the trial, as required by Tennessee law.<ref name= "AccessNorthGA2002">{{citation|url=http://new.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=189665&c=10 |title=Byron "Low Tax" Looper seeks new trial |work=AccessNorthGA.com |date=September 26, 2002 |publisher= Jacobs Media |access-date=June 7, 2012 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141015222130/http://new.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=189665&c=10 |archive-date=October 15, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="APStraitGuilty" />  Despite forensic and eyewitness evidence presented at trial, Looper's mother maintained her son's innocence to his death, and beyond.

In August 2000, Looper was convicted of [[first-degree murder]] and [[sentence (law)|sentence]]d to [[life in prison]] without chance of [[parole]]. The victim's family had requested that prosecutors not seek the [[death penalty]].<ref name= "BostonGlobe2000" /><ref name="APStraitGuilty">{{cite news |first= Jason | last= Strait |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-31148444.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141011093704/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-31148444.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 11, 2014 |title=Tennessee politician found guilty |work= highbeam.com| agency= [[Associated Press]] |date=August 23, 2000 |access-date=2012-06-06}} {{subscription required}}</ref> Following his conviction and sentencing, he was transferred to [[Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary]] in [[Petros, Tennessee]].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.nashvillescene.com/nashville/tales-from-brushy-mountain/Content?oid=1189060 |title=Tales from Brushy Mountain |first=Matt | last= Pulle |date=October 10, 2003 |newspaper= Nashville Scene |quote=Currently, Byron “Low Tax” Looper, the Tennessee politician who shot and killed State Sen. Tommy Burks in 1998, resides at Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary, in a tiny cell littered with legal papers. |access-date=June 7, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141109062850/http://www.nashvillescene.com/nashville/tales-from-brushy-mountain/Content?oid=1189060 |archive-date=November 9, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> When the Brushy Mountain Penitentiary closed in 2009, Looper was moved to the Morgan County Correctional Complex.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.tn.gov/correction/media/inmatephotos.html |title=Inmate Photos |publisher=[[Tennessee Department of Correction]] |access-date=June 6, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120709185825/http://www.tn.gov/correction/media/inmatephotos.html |archive-date=July 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} Looper is among the inmates whose photos are in a collection of "most frequently requested" prison inmate photos. He is listed as TOMIS #323358, Morgan County Correctional Complex.</ref>

In late 2001, Looper sued a TV station and individual station personnel for depicting him unfavorably in a broadcast interview. Meanwhile, Looper was also the subject of "Eliminating the Competition", episode 163 of the TV series ''[[American Justice]]''.<ref>{{cite web
 | title =American Justice - Episode Guide 
 | work =AETV.com
 | publisher =A&E TV
 | url =http://www.aetv.com/american_justice/aj_episode_guide.jsp?episode=1230065
 | access-date =June 29, 2013
 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130215053140/http://www.aetv.com/american_justice/aj_episode_guide.jsp?episode=1230065
 | archive-date =February 15, 2013
 | url-status =live
 }}</ref>

He also filed a lawsuit against [[Tennessee Department of Correction]] personnel and the contractor that provided medical services in Tennessee prisons, charging that the conditions of his confinement were unconstitutional and that he was not receiving adequate medical care. In that suit, he asked for $47 million in damages.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://nashvillepost.com/news/2002/1/9/convicted_murderer_low_tax_looper_sues_prison_medical_manager_over_health_care |title= Convicted murderer 'Low Tax' Looper sues prison medical manager over health care |newspaper=Nashville Post |date=January 9, 2002 |access-date= June 7, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130630115105/http://nashvillepost.com/news/2002/1/9/convicted_murderer_low_tax_looper_sues_prison_medical_manager_over_health_care |archive-date=June 30, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> He also filed several unsuccessful motions to overturn his conviction.<ref name= "AccessNorthGA2002" /><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.wbir.com/print.aspx?storyid=3288 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20130209032023/http://www.wbir.com/print.aspx?storyid=3288 |url-status= dead |archive-date= February 9, 2013 |title=Looper's Appeal Denied |publisher=WBIR TV |location=Knoxville, Tennessee |date=June 8, 2001 | website= WBIR.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=2424233 |title="Low Tax" Looper seeking new trial on murder conviction |date=October 12, 2004 |publisher=WATE-TV |website= WATE.com |location= Knoxville, Tennessee |access-date=June 7, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041124110422/http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=2424233 |archive-date=November 24, 2004 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=8421416 |title= Court Rejects Appeal Of Looper's Murder Conviction | work= NewsChannel5.com| publisher= WTVF-TV |location=Nashville |date=June 3, 2008 |access-date=June 7, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130630125821/http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=8421416 |archive-date=June 30, 2013 }}</ref>

== Death ==

Looper was found dead in his prison cell on June 26, 2013.<ref name="doa">{{cite web |title=Death of Inmate Byron Looper |url=https://www.tn.gov/news/2013/6/26/death-of-inmate-byron-looper.html |website=www.tn.gov |access-date=15 April 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250415002954/https://www.tn.gov/news/2013/6/26/death-of-inmate-byron-looper.html |archive-date=15 April 2025 |language=en |date=2013-06-26}}</ref> A prison incident report shows that he assaulted a pregnant female counselor less than two hours before his body was found; Looper had to be restrained during that incident.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/jun/28/tbi-low-tax-looper-had-heart-event-before-prison/ |title=TBI: (Low Tax) Looper had 'heart event' before prison death |date=June 28, 2013 |publisher=Knoxville News Sentinel |access-date=June 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630191531/http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/jun/28/tbi-low-tax-looper-had-heart-event-before-prison/ |archive-date=June 30, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> An autopsy revealed that he had a heart condition caused by a combination of [[high blood pressure]] and hardening arteries; he also had a toxic level of antidepressants in his system.

== "Low Tax" name imitators ==

Other political candidates and public personalities have emulated Looper's adopted name or have independently adopted similar names. Among these were [[Something Awful]] founder [[Richard "Lowtax" Kyanka]], who adopted his [[nickname]] as a humorous reference to Byron Looper, for whom Kyanka nearly worked as an intern in the summer of 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fark.com/comments/446456/DARE-The-Comic?startid=3051727|title=D.A.R.E. - The Comic|work=[[Fark]]|date=February 20, 2003|url-status=live|access-date=November 22, 2021|quote=Way back during my college days at Vanderbilt University, I almost ended up getting a summer job with the Putnam County tax assessor (because I was broke and needed to pay for college tuition). He was a very insane little man who legally changed his middle name to "Low Tax" to win votes for his upcoming senatorial campaign.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211123032431/https://www.fark.com/comments/446456/DARE-The-Comic?startid=3051727 |archive-date=2021-11-23 }}</ref> In 1998, a candidate with the name Craig 'Tax Freeze' Freis ran for the [[State Board of Equalization (California)|California Board of Equalization]]. He finished in fourth place (out of six candidates running) in the Democratic primary for the office.<ref>[http://primary98.sos.ca.gov/Final/P98_SOV.pdf Election results for the June 2, 1998 elections] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202041654/http://primary98.sos.ca.gov/Final/P98_SOV.pdf |date=February 2, 2009 }}, page 42.</ref>

In [[Los Angeles County]], a candidate named John "Lower Taxes" Loew ran in every election for [[County (United States)|county]] [[assessor (property)|assessor]] from 2000 through 2018. He explained that he changed his name to send a message about his political positions.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dailybreeze.com/2006/05/30/lower-taxes-not-just-a-slogan/|title=Lower Taxes not just a slogan|date=May 30, 2006|first=Christina|last=Esparza|publisher=[[Daily Breeze]]|access-date=July 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704212814/https://www.dailybreeze.com/2006/05/30/lower-taxes-not-just-a-slogan/|archive-date=July 4, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-assessor-debate-20140331-story.html|title=Candidates for L.A. County assessor tangle over tax policy in debate|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=March 30, 2014|first=Abby|last=Sewell|access-date=July 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708030418/http://articles.latimes.com/2014/mar/30/local/la-me-assessor-debate-20140331|archive-date=July 8, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2000, Loew received less than 1% of the vote<ref>[http://rrcc.co.la.ca.us/elect/00110020/rr0020pi.html-ssi Final Official Election Returns] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929084309/http://rrcc.co.la.ca.us/elect/00110020/rr0020pi.html-ssi |date=2007-09-29 }}, Los Angeles County, November 7, 2000 General Election</ref> in the special election to fill a vacancy in the office. In 2002 and 2006, Loew lost the elections to incumbent Rick Auerbach by margins of 70%–11% and 77%–23% respectively.<ref>http://rrcc.co.la.ca.us/elect/02031211/rr1211pn.html-ssi {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929091049/http://rrcc.co.la.ca.us/elect/02031211/rr1211pn.html-ssi |date=2007-09-29 }} 70-11</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://rrccmain.co.la.ca.us/charts/1275/1275AS.htm |title=Assessor |access-date=2006-06-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927005020/http://rrccmain.co.la.ca.us/charts/1275/1275AS.htm |archive-date=2007-09-27 }} 77-23</ref> Loew ran again in 2010, where he finished in third place with 10.6% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://rrcc.co.la.ca.us/elect/10061499/rr1499po.html-ssi |title=Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters election results for County Assessor, 2010 |access-date=2011-11-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426005806/http://rrcc.co.la.ca.us/elect/10061499/rr1499po.html-ssi |archive-date=2012-04-26 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2014, he finished in fourth place with 9.47% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lavote.net/election-results#year=2014&election=879 |title=June 3, 2014 Los Angeles County primary election results |access-date=July 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704212923/http://www.lavote.net/election-results#year=2014&election=879 |archive-date=July 4, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2018 Loew again ran with the name "Lower Taxes" on the ballot and ended up in second place with 23.58%, forcing incumbent Jeffrey Prang into a runoff.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.lavote.net/election-results#year=2018&election=3793 |title=June 5, 2018 Los Angeles County primary election results |access-date=July 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704212923/http://www.lavote.net/election-results#year=2018&election=3793 |archive-date=July 4, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Loew lost the runoff to Prang by a margin of a little over 20%.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.lavote.net/election-results#year=2018&election=3861 |title=November 6, 2018 Los Angeles County general election results |access-date=January 8, 2020 }}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|qid=Q127870693|title=American Justice: Eliminating the Competition}}
* Mark Gribben, [https://web.archive.org/web/20040817005330/http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/classics/byron_looper/ Assassination in Middle Tennessee], Crime Library: Notorious Murderers (Turner Entertainment Networks). Court TV account of the Looper case.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Looper, Byron}}
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