Summary of Offense:
Floyd Damren entered the grounds of R.G.C. Mineral Sands and stole equipment, telling a friend that “There [is] … some more good stuff down there I’d like to get.” Several weeks later, on May 1, 1994, after drinking beer with friends, Damren returned with an accomplice, Jeff Chittam, to steal more equipment. The two burglarized the electrical shop in the maintenance barn. Chittam was discovered by an employee, Don Miller, but Damren sneaked up behind Miller and struck him with a steel pipe. Miller and Chittam both pleaded for Damren to spare Miller’s life, but after pacing the floor, Damren bludgeoned Miller to death with the steel pipe, striking him seven times on the head and four times on the body. As Damren was dragging Miller’s body across the floor, Michael Knight, the shift supervisor, entered the building and yelled at Damren. Knight was acquainted with Damren due to the fact that he had lived in Knight’s neighborhood since childhood. Damren threatened Knight with the pipe, and Knight ran yelling from the building. Knight identified Damren to the police and Damren was arrested. Further evidence linking Damren to the crime included testimony from several witnesses that Damren made incriminating statements to them about the murder. Also, blood stains on Damren’s pants matched Miller’s blood.
Damren was sentenced to death in Clay County on June 2, 1995.
Co-defendant information:
Chittam was not charged and did not testify at trial. He was the victim of a separate homicide, for which Damren was also charged, convicted, and sentenced to a term of life imprisonment.
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