Patrick Sonnier was an American man who gained notoriety for being convicted of murder in the 1970s. He was sentenced to death for the killings of two teenagers in Louisiana. His case drew significant media attention and raised discussions about the death penalty in the United States. Sonnier was executed in 1984, becoming one of the first individuals to be put to death in Louisiana after the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976. His case is often referenced in debates surrounding capital punishment and the legal system, highlighting issues of justice and morality in the context of the death penalty.