Eddie James
Edward Thomas James was an American murderer and sex offender. His being featured on the national television show America's Most Wanted led to his capture and conviction for the September 1993 murders of an eight-year-old girl and her grandmother in Casselberry, Florida. He was convicted and sentenced to death in 1995. He sat on death row and awaited execution for nearly 30 years. He was executed by lethal injection on March 20, 2025.
Background
Edward Thomas James was born in Bristol, Pennsylvania, on August 4, 1961. He believed his last name was Matlack until the age of 10, when he discovered that the man raising him was his stepfather. At age 11, James was introduced to drugs by his biological father, who was a drug counselor, after meeting and moving to live with him. In his mid-teens, James returned to live with his mother and moved to Casselberry in Seminole County, Florida. His life heavily revolved around drug addiction and violence, and he claimed to have drug-induced blackouts. His mother sought assistance from a mental health counselor; however, his violence and drug use continued.James dropped out of high school in his junior year and joined the U.S. Army when he was 17. He was stationed in Germany, but was soon discharged for "failure to conform." James returned to Casselberry, where he became friends with a man named Tim Dick. James was welcomed into Dick's extended family, and, in the summer of 1993, he rented a room from Dick's mother, Betty.
Murders
On September 20, 1993, James returned home from a party to find Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Dick's four grandchildren sleeping in the living room. He grabbed eight-year-old Toni Marie Neuner by the neck and strangled her into unconsciousness. He then took her to his bedroom and, believing she was already dead, raped her, after which he put her between his bed and the wall. She later died as a result of the strangulation.James proceeded to Betty Dick's bedroom, where he hit her in the head with a candlestick and repeatedly stabbed her with a knife. Dick screamed, waking up Toni's sister, nine-year-old Wendi, who came to the bedroom. James tied Wendi up and put her in the bathroom. He then got a butcher knife from the kitchen, returned to the bedroom, and stabbed Betty in the back. After showering and taking jewelry from her bedroom, James fled in her car.
Apprehension and sentencing
On September 28, 1993, America's Most Wanted broadcast information related to the case, resulting in hundreds of viewer phone calls. Several tips indicated that he was traveling west. On October 5, 1993, the program broadcast an updated version with new information added from tips after the previous broadcast. The next day, a viewer spotted James at the California state unemployment office in Bakersfield and contacted authorities. Once in police custody, he gave two taped statements.On April 5, 1995, James pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, and one count each of aggravated child abuse, attempted sexual battery, kidnapping, grand theft, and grand theft auto. He also pleaded no contest to two counts of capital sexual battery charged by separate information.
On August 18, 1995, James was sentenced to death for the murders of Toni Neuner and Betty Dick, as well as sentences ranging from 15 years to life on the other charges. He was incarcerated at Florida State Prison in Raiford, Florida.