Otis Ray "Killer" Appleton (August 23, 1941 – October 7, 2015) was an American jazz drummer. He was playing with Wes Montgomery when he was 14.

He got the name "Killer" from legendary bass player Larry Ridley telling him he was "a little killer" on the drums when he was auditioning for a gig at the Northside club in Idianapolis.

He toured and recorded with John Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, James Spaulding, Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Witherspoon, "Brother" Jack McDuff, Pat Martino, Buddy Montgomery, Melvin Rhyne, Peter Bernstein, The Ray Appleton Sextet, and others.

This is Otis playing "On the Que-Tee" from the 1967 Freddie Hubbard album "Backlash". Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), James Spaulding (Alto Sax), Albert Dailey (piano), Bob Cunningham (bass).