TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man convicted of murdering a lady and raping and killing her 8-year-old-granddaughter in Seminole County in 1993 is ready to be executed subsequent month.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the demise warrant for Edward James, 63, on Tuesday. James is scheduled to be executed on March 20 at Florida State Jail.
On Sept. 19, 1993, James brutally attacked 8-year-old Toni Neuner, who was staying on the residence of her grandmother Betty Dick, earlier than he murdered the 58-year-old girl as nicely. James had been renting a room in Dick’s residence.
Based on courtroom information, James strangled Neuner earlier than raping her vaginally and anally after which throwing her physique throughout the room. The younger lady suffered grievous inner accidents and was strangled to demise.
James then went to the bed room of Neuner’s grandmother, desiring to have intercourse along with her. As an alternative, he stabbed her greater than 20 instances with two totally different knives, information present.
James pleaded responsible to the murders, in addition to expenses of kid abuse and kidnapping, and pleaded no contest to different expenses he mentioned he couldn’t bear in mind.
His execution could be the state’s second thus far this yr. Earlier this month, James Dennis Ford was put to demise for the homicide of a pair in 1997 in Charlotte County.
