When Wizards and Orcs Came to Death Row
When Wizards and Orcs Came to Death Row
When Wizards and Orcs Came to Death Row
Keri Blakinger
August, 31, 2025
Summary
Tony Ford, a Black man now on Texas death row, found unexpected solace in Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), a fantasy role-playing game he first played as a teen in El Paso. After being convicted of a 1991 murder he maintains he didn't commit, Ford rediscovered D&D behind bars, where it became a mental escape from the harsh reality of solitary confinement. He eventually played alongside fellow inmate Billy Wardlow, whose creative mastery of the game brought structure and community to death row. Despite Wardlow’s execution in 2020, Ford and others continue playing, preserving friendship, therapy, and hope through a shared fantasy world.
Reference
Blakinger, K. (2023, August 31). When wizards and orcs came to death row. The Marshall Project. https://www.themarshallproject.org/2023/08/31/dungeons-and-dragons-texas-death-row-tdcj