Summary of Offense:
James Hunter, Tammie Cowan, Cathy Woodward, Charles Anderson, Andre Smith, and Lee Lewis (a.k.a. Eric Boyd) drove to DeLand from St. Augustine on September 16, 1992. Cowan testified that Lewis and Anderson each carried black BB guns and Hunter had a silver handgun. They made a brief stop in DeLand to visit Smith’s mother. Cowan stopped the car at about 11:45 p.m. to let Anderson, Lewis, Smith, and Hunter out. Hunter robbed a man on the street at gunpoint.
The four went back to the car to reunite with the others and Cowan drove them to Daytona Beach. After they departed for Daytona Beach, a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) message was circulated through the Volusia County area looking for the robbery suspects in a four-door gray car carrying at least five African-Americans, two of whom were female.
Hunter directed Cowan to drive to the Bethune-Cookman College area. Hunter instructed Cowan to stop the vehicle when he saw four young men outside of the “Munch Shop.” Hunter, Lewis, Smith, and Anderson exited the vehicle and walked towards the four men. Hunter was still carrying the firearm. Hunter directed the men to “give it up” and he and his companions proceeded to rob the men at gunpoint. Hunter shot each of the men in turn while they were lying on the sidewalk face down. The last man to get shot, Wayne Simpson, died from his wound.
Hunter and his companions fled the scene with the clothing and other possessions belonging to the victims. When they returned to the car, Hunter directed Cowan to leave and relayed to her that he fired the gun because a victim had attempted to flee. At 12:40 a.m., Deputy Graves spotted a vehicle that matched the DeLand BOLO message. Deputy Graves pulled the car over and Cowan admitted that they had come from DeLand. The victim of the DeLand robbery was brought to the stopped car and identified Hunter as the robber. The victim also identified the vehicle as the one involved. Cowan consented to a police search of the vehicle where officers discovered items stolen from both robberies as well as the two BB guns. Investigators never recovered the gun used by Hunter in the robberies.
Hunter was sentenced to death in Volusia County on August 18, 1993.
Co-defendant information:
Andre Smith is serving ten life sentences, Lee Lewis (a.k.a. Eric Boyd) is serving nine life sentences, and Charles Anderson is serving seven life sentences for their involvement in the robberies.
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