James Van Adams

Background

James Van Adams was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder and was sentenced to death on November 21, 1997.

The offence

On February 9, 1996, Adams accompanied Michelle Anglin, a real estate sales person, on a tour of a model home. When they reached an upstairs bedroom, Adams overpowered Anglin, tore off her clothing, and attempted to sexually assault her while he choked her to death.

Police found evidence of Anglin’s struggle and the aftermath in the model home. Buttons from Anglin’s blouse were found in the bedroom closet, along with semen stains. Household furnishings were damaged as Anglin fought for her life.

Anglin’s body was later found stuffed under the bed in an upstairs bedroom in an upstairs bedroom of the model home. Police discovered the location after a welfare check.

Investigation

Police discovered the body of Michelle Lee Anglin, a 5'1", 96 pound, 22 year-old woman, in the master bedroom of a tri-level model home at the Briarwood subdivision of Dave Brown Homes in Phoenix.

Family members were unable to reach Anglin by pager or telephone, and Anglin’s sister, a Phoenix police officer, called 911 with a “check welfare” request. The first officers to arrive at the scene found the model home office door unlocked, the lights and music on, and numerous personal items belonging to Anglin. They conducted a preliminary search of each of the three model homes and, during the first search, located three shirt buttons belonging to Anglin in the third model’s upstairs master bedroom closet. The officers also observed that two candles in that model’s master bathroom had been knocked over, one into each sink. Everything else appeared undisturbed.

Police then began a more thorough search of the model homes, and particularly of the third model home. They located Anglin’s lifeless, twisted, disrobed body under the third model’s master bed and noticed semen stains in that model’s master closet. Police found broken ceramic candlesticks and articles of Anglin’s clothing under the bed and saw paint and plaster chips in the master bath and under the bed.

An autopsy revealed no evidence of sexual trauma, but it disclosed that Anglin had been grabbed, choked, and killed by asphyxiation, as evidenced by three bruises to the left side of her neck and one opposing bruise on the right.

The Phoenix crime laboratory and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) laboratory conducted DNA testing of a carpet sample. Initial results excluded Adams as the contributor, and he was so notified. Re-testing of the sample by the crime lab produced contradictory results, which included him as a contributor. Additional testing performed by DPS verified the latter result.

Although police conducted extensive finger and footprinting of the model, none of the prints recovered matched Adams. None of the witnesses who viewed photo lineups positively identified Adams as being at the subdivision near the time of death, fixed at between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on February 9, 1996.

Evidence presented at trial

A vehicle license check of Adams’ truck placed him within a few miles of the Briarwood homes on February 9 at approximately 3:25 p.m.

Sometime between 3:45 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. on February 9, Anglin, speaking by telephone to another Homes by Dave Brown sales agent, said that a prospective buyer had just arrived at her subdivision. The fellow agent’s return calls to Anglin between 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. went unanswered.

A neighbor, who lived in the subdivision and arrived home from work on February 9 between 4:00 p.m. and 4:15 p.m., recalled seeing a white male exiting the steps of the third model home and noticed a black, Chevrolet, full-sized, older model pickup truck, similar in description to Adams’, in the model home parking lot.

Prospective buyers who visited the subdivision that day between 4:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. recalled seeing a man walking from the direction of the second and third model homes and noticed that candlesticks in the third model’s master bath had been knocked over and into the sinks.

Employment records indicated Adams either left work on February 9 around noon and failed to return, or left work on February 8 and did not report to work on February 9 after calling in “sick” due to car troubles. Adams’ employer and a co-worker each testified that when they next saw Adams, a facial injury and black eye that were not present on February 8 or 9 were now evident.

Evidence presented at trial also established that Adams had been to the Briarwood subdivision on previous occasions.

Other interactions involving Adams

Evidence from interactions at Briarwood and elsewhere

The state presented evidence concerning interactions between Adams and other sales agents several years earlier in California, several months earlier at Briarwood, and several hours prior to Anglin’s murder.

Susan Wright, an employee of Homes by Dave Brown, revealed that she had several face-to-face meetings with Adams at the Briarwood subdivision and numerous telephone conversations with him while at Briarwood and at another subdivision to which she was transferred. Her first encounter with Adams at Briarwood occurred in September or October, 1995, when Adams requested that Wright, who was working alone, accompany him to the third model. Wright recalled that Adams stood closer than normal to her and that, although he indicated he had questions about the model, once inside he asked none. Upon the arrival of other prospective buyers, the two immediately left the model and returned to the office.

On November 5, 1995, Adams again visited the subdivision and filled out a guest registration card as “Jim Adams.” Adams made numerous other visits and telephone calls to Wright, each time asking her out on dates.

February 9, 1996 encounter

Kim Ramos, a young real estate sales associate at a nearby subdivision, testified concerning an encounter she had with Adams at approximately 2:00 p.m. on February 9, 1996. Adams arrived at the subdivision in an older model, black Chevrolet truck and asked her to accompany him to the two-story model home to answer some questions. Ramos testified that she was apprehensive and uneasy about Adams, in part because of how closely he walked next to her. She also stated she did not spend any appreciable amount of time with him in the model before returning to the sales office and felt Adams’ questions concerning the model’s tile flooring and fourth bedroom/den option were “stupid.”

Adams’ visit with Ramos that day was confirmed by a guest registration card that Adams filled out at Ramos’ request, on which he listed his name as “James Adams” and provided his correct address and telephone number. Ramos, who was able to positively identify Adams and his truck through photographs, told police that at the time she met Adams none of his facial injuries depicted in the photographs taken after Anglin’s murder existed.

1990 California encounter

Melissa Cunningham testified concerning a 1990 encounter with Adams in California. Cunningham was a young, petite, 5'4", 102 pound sales agent working alone at a new home subdivision when Adams requested that she accompany him to view model homes still under construction. Adams said he was particularly interested in a two-story model and its upstairs master bedroom and closet.

Cunningham spent a few minutes with Adams in that model’s master bedroom and closet. As they walked down the stairs, Cunningham, who was in the lead, heard two thumps, like footsteps, felt a shove, and fell down to the floor below. Adams apologized, saying that he had tripped on a nail. As both of them searched for the nail, Adams grabbed Cunningham from behind, placing one hand around her neck and choking her while twisting her head to the left with his other hand. He told her he would break her neck if she said anything, dragged her down the hallway and into the kitchen, threw her to the ground, and attempted to sexually assault her, while ripping and tearing her clothes from her body.

Cunningham managed to escape and obtained Adams’ truck license plate number. Cunningham identified Adams during this trial as her assailant. Adams was convicted in California of assault with intent to commit rape, a felony.

Trial

The Supreme Court of Arizona reviewed Appellant’s conviction and death sentence for first-degree premeditated murder.

The jury convicted Adams of first-degree premeditated murder and death sentence. The jury also convicted Adams of kidnaping, attempted sexual assault, and second-degree burglary. Adams filed a notice of appeal from these convictions but did not brief these issues on appeal. The Supreme Court affirmed Adams’ conviction of first-degree premeditated murder and the death sentence.

Sentencing

Adams was sentenced to death on November 21, 1997.

Aggravating circumstances were “Previously convicted of serious offense.” No mitigating circumstances were offered or found.

Appeals

In the Supreme Court of Arizona, Appellee v. James Van Adams, Appellant, Supreme Court No. CR-97-0471-AP, the appeal was from the Superior Court of Maricopa County.

The Supreme Court affirmed Adams’ conviction and sentence.

July 8, 2004 — Stay of Execution issued by US District Court in the scheduled execution of inmate James ADAMS ADC#131965.

Outcome

Adams was sentenced to death for murdering and sexually assaulting Michelle Anglin, a real estate agent, after the jury convicted him of first-degree premeditated murder and the additional offenses.

Aftermath

On Sunday March 16, 2010, James Van Adams, a 46-year-old inmate, committed suicide while on death row. His death occurred inside a cell in an Arizona prison.

Cindy Scott, described as the sister of Michelle Anglin and a Phoenix Police Department detective, was quoted: “There’s evil in the world and know that everyone out there…that you can’t trust everyone,” Cindy Scott.

Peggy, described as Michelle Anglin’s mother, was quoted: “This man it’s like one day, one afternoon he took a grenade and threw it in my family and destroyed it and he hung himself.”

Peggy also said: “He strangled her. He got a little bit of what he did to her.”

Timeline

• February 9, 1996 — Police discovered Michelle Lee Anglin’s body in the master bedroom of a tri-level model home at the Briarwood subdivision of Dave Brown Homes in Phoenix.
• July 1, 1997 — Start of trial.
• July 14, 1997 — Verdict.
• November 21, 1997 — Sentenced to death.
• March 16, 2010 — James Van Adams committed suicide inside a cell in an Arizona prison.