James Koedatich

Background

James Koedatich was born in 1948.

Koedatich committed his first known murder in Dade County, Florida, on June 13, 1971. The victim was his roommate, 40-year-old Robert Anderson. Koedatich served eleven years on conviction of murder and robbery. He won parole from Raiford prison in August 1982.

After moving north with the state's permission, Koedatich settled in Morristown, New Jersey, and killed again after two months.

The offence

On November 23, 1982, Amy Hoffman, a high school cheerleader, was kidnapped from a Morristown shopping mall. Hoffman was fatally stabbed in the chest and back with a long-bladed knife. Her body was recovered from a rural water tank on Thanksgiving Day.

Twelve days later, on the investigation timeline as described, police had no suspects in sight. On a dark country road, 29-year-old Deirdre O'Brian was snatched from her car. O'Brian was raped and stabbed, then left for dead near Allamuchy, 20 miles from Morristown. She lived long enough to describe her attacker as "resembling a truck driver."

On the night of January 16, Koedatich phoned police in Morristown, complaining that he had been stopped by an unknown assailant and stabbed in the back while driving through Morris Township, a quarter-mile from the scene of Deirdre O'Brian's murder.

Investigation

Authorities routinely checked Koedatich's car as part of their investigation, noting that his tires matched tracks discovered at the latest murder site. A further search turned up sufficient evidence to warrant his arrest.

Arrest

Koedatich was held in lieu of $250,000 bail. He was formally charged with Deirdre O'Brian's murder on May 12.

On the trial timeline as described, he was indicted for murdering Amy Hoffman on December 15.

Trial

Koedatich was tried on the latter charge first, in October 1984. He was convicted of murder, kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, and unlawful possession of a weapon with intent to kill.

On May 1985, Koedatich was convicted of Deirdre O'Brian's murder.

Sentencing

On October 29, 1984, Koedatich became the first man sentenced to die under New Jersey's revised capital punishment statute.

Convicted of Deirdre O'Brian's murder in May 1985, Koedatich received a sentence of life imprisonment when three jurors balked at voting the death penalty.

Appeals

Koedatich's death sentence was commuted to life on appeal.

Outcome

Koedatich was condemned on one count in 1984 and commuted to life on appeal; he received a life term on the second count in 1985.

Other details

Witnesses described Amy Hoffman's abductor, but police had no suspects in sight twelve days later.

Michael Newton - An Encyclopedia of Modern Serial Killers listed SEX: M, RACE: W, TYPE: N, MOTIVE: PC/Sex, and MO: Killed male roommate (1971) and at least two females.

Michael Newton - An Encyclopedia of Modern Serial Killers listed DISPOSITION: Condemned on one count, 1984 (commuted to life on appeal); life term on second count, 1985.