Ronnie Lee Gardner was neglected a child and basically raised by his older siblings. By the age of 10, Ronnie was on drugs, huffing glue and gas and drinking alcohol. By 14, he had been in and out of reform schools and institutions, and was living with his brother and a guy named Jack, whom he was having a sexual relationship with. By 19, he was the father of two. Ronnie spent several years in and out of jail, breaking free several times, before being arrested for murder.

However, Ronnie was determined to never be fully incarcerated and made plans for one final escape, which he would stop at no costs to achieve.