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Loran K. COLE
Classification: Murderer
Characteristics:
Rape - Robbery
Number of victims: 1
Date of murder:
February 18, 1994
Date of arrest:
3 days after
Date of birth:
November 11,
1966
Victims profile: John
Edwards
Method of murder: Stabbing
with knife
/ Beating with a
walking stick
Fifth Judicial Circuit, Marion
County, Case #94-00498
Sentencing Judge: The Honorable
William T. Swigert
Trial Attorneys: T. Jenkins & D.
Gleason – Special Appointed Public Defenders
Attorney, Direct Appeal:
Christopher S. Quarles – Assistant Public Defender
Attorney, Collateral Appeals:
James Viggiano – CCRC-M
Date of Offense: 02/18/94
Date of Sentence: 12/20/95
Circumstances of Offense:
Loran Cole was convicted and
sentenced to death for the murder of John Edwards on 02/18/94.
On Friday, 02/18/94, John
Edwards met his sister Pam for a weekend camping trip in the Ocala
National Forest. While they were setting up camp in the Hopkins
Prairie, Loran Cole stopped by, introduced himself as “Kevin” and helped
them get settled.
Later that evening, Cole returned to the Edwards’
campsite with William Paul, who he introduced as his brother, even
though the two men were not related. After sitting around the campfire,
the four decided to go for a walk.
While walking, Cole attacked
Pam, throwing her to the ground, hitting her on the head and putting her
in handcuffs. At the same time, John began to struggle with Paul. John
took possession of a walking stick that Paul was carrying, and proceeded
to beat him with it.
With Pam in handcuffs, Cole helped Paul restrain
John and laid him next to his sister on the ground. While Cole and Paul
were robbing the siblings, all John could do was apologize to his sister
for having put her in such a dangerous situation.
Paul moved Pam up the trail, and
Cole stayed behind with John, beating him for hurting his “brother” with
the walking stick in the earlier altercation. Soon Cole joined Paul and
Pam, and told them they were going to wait until John passed out.
Cole
then went back to where John lay injured and slit his throat, telling
Pam that he was only moving John off the trail and tying him up. John
died from a slashed throat and numerous skull fractures.
Cole and Paul took Pam back to
the campsite where Cole raped her. The next day, Cole claimed he was
going to check on John and told Pam that he was all right. Cole then
raped Pam again, gagged her, and tied her between two trees.
Pam was
able to free herself from the ropes on early Sunday morning. Fearing
for her brother’s safety, she stayed put for a while; however, Pam
eventually flagged down a motorist who took her to call police. Cole
and Paul were identified from the detailed description Pam gave to
police and arrested on 02/21/94.
Codefendant Status:
William Paul pled nolo
contendere to charges of First-Degree Murder, two counts of Armed
Kidnapping and two counts of Armed Robbery. He was sentenced to life on
all charges on 06/30/95.
Trial Summary:
02/21/94 Defendant
arrested.
03/04/94 Defendant
entered a plea of “not guilty”.
09/28/95 The defendant
was found guilty on all counts in the indictment.
09/29/95 Upon advisory sentencing, the jury,
by a 12 to 0 majority, voted for the death penalty.
12/20/95 The defendant
was sentenced as followed:
Count I: First-Degree
Murder - Death
Count II: Kidnapping - 25
years
Count III: Kidnapping - 25 years
Count IV: Armed Robbery - 25 years
Count V: Armed Robbery - 25 years
Count VI: Sexual Battery - 25 years Count VII: Sexual Battery - 25 years
Case Information:
Cole filed a Direct Appeal in
the Florida Supreme Court on 02/06/96. In that appeal, he argued that
the trial court erred in allowing a segment of Pam Edwards’ testimony to
be read back to the jury during penalty phase deliberations. Cole also
contended that the court erred in its application of aggravating and
mitigating circumstances and in denying his motion for a mistrial when
his prior criminal history was mentioned during testimony.
Additionally, Cole argued the denial of his motion to suppress the
presentation of evidence seized during his warrantless arrest. The
Florida Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentence of death;
however, they remanded the other felony convictions for re-sentencing
according to sentencing guidelines on 09/18/97.
Next, Cole filed a Petition for
Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied
on 03/30/98.
Cole then filed a Motion to
Vacate Judgment and Sentence (3.850) in the State Circuit Court on
06/05/98. That motion was denied on 05/24/00, after which he filed an
appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on 06/28/00. Cole also filed a
Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Florida Supreme Court on
01/29/01. On 01/16/03, in an consolidated opinion, the Florida Supreme
Court affirmed the denial of Cole’s 3.850 Motion and denied his Petition
for Writ of Habeas Corpus.
Cole filed a 3.850
Motion in the State Circuit on 09/30/03, which was denied on 11/03/03.
He then filed an appeal of that decision in the Florida Supreme Court on
12/08/03, which specifically addressed DNA issues (3.853 Motion
Appeal). On 11/24/04, the FSC affirmed the denial of the 3.853 Motion.
On 01/23/04, Cole filed another
3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court, which was stricken on 01/26/04.
On 05/06/05, Cole filed a
Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the U.S. District Court, Middle
District that was denied on 05/03/06.
