Any updates and/or your opinions on the Tommy Zeigler case?

[Jon]

At this point I would be shocked if he is executed before he dies of other causes. He was sentenced to death in 1976, so I do not think there is another case of anyone in the US awaiting execution for that long. Raymond Riles was on death row in TX 45 years until his sentence commuted to life.

[BuffaloBill]

If this crime was commited in NY State he would have been taken off death row and his sentence commuted in 1976. Yes I am being sacastic !

[zachh]

Does anyone know if TZ's gunshot wound in the abdomen was serious or was it just a flesh wound?

[Killarney Rose]

Originally Posted by zachh

Does anyone know if TZ's gunshot wound in the abdomen was serious or was it just a flesh wound?

You can take this as you want it, my friend, a nurse working in the ER when TZ was brought in said his wound was not serious.

[Killarney Rose]

I’m sorry, the two links I saw yesterday for articles are behind a paywall.

A judge is set to review the DNA results today in TZ’s case.

[Allierain]

Originally Posted by Killarney Rose

I’m sorry, the two links I saw yesterday for articles are behind a paywall.

A judge is set to review the DNA results today in TZ’s case.

Do you have links? I might be subscribed and can share the info.

[Killarney Rose]

I don’t but one is a Tampa newspaper and the other is the Orlando Sentinel. Hope that helps. I was able to find this one that isn’t behind a paywall.

https://www.orangeobserver.com/news/...anted-hearing/

[Killarney Rose]

Today is the 50th anniversary

[Clockwork]

I've leaned on the side of him being innocent. I will say this, $500,000 is a ton of money in 1975. Wowzers! So take that as you will about the life insurance payment, but I am pretty sure they were wealthy as it was. If Tommy is truly innocent, then he might win the award for being at the wrong place at the wrong time in history.

[TheCars1986]

Originally Posted by Clockwork

I've leaned on the side of him being innocent. I will say this, $500,000 is a ton of money in 1975. Wowzers! So take that as you will about the life insurance payment, but I am pretty sure they were wealthy as it was. If Tommy is truly innocent, then he might win the award for being at the wrong place at the wrong time in history.

The problem with him being an innocent man at the wrong place at the wrong time is that he was supposed to be there at the store that night (according to his own story) with his wife and in-laws. Felton Thomas, Charlie Mays, and Edward Williams were drawn to the store that night by Zeigler. There has never been an evidence produced that shows an unknown (or known) person to have been present at the store that night who was not brought there by Zeigler. He's guilty.

[Clockwork]

Originally Posted by TheCars1986

The problem with him being an innocent man at the wrong place at the wrong time is that he was supposed to be there at the store that night (according to his own story) with his wife and in-laws. Felton Thomas, Charlie Mays, and Edward Williams were drawn to the store that night by Zeigler. There has never been an evidence produced that shows an unknown (or known) person to have been present at the store that night who was not brought there by Zeigler. He's guilty.

Fair points. The perpetrator would not have been known I assume. He does bring them to the store I believe to sell them some guns. He even lets them test them out. The thought is that he does this so that their DNA and prints are on the gun.

One other thing I wonder about is that while I can understand him checking up on the store even on Christmas Eve, why have these other fellows come over for another business deal. It is Christmas Eve, it sounded like Tommy was a churchgoer back in the day, he isn't at Christmas Eve service that night? Nor are his wife and her parents? And also, why bring in the in-laws? It would get messy having them be killed, it is just more red tape. Why not just his wife? That is $500,000 for one person.

Anyway, it could have just been a robbery gone wrong. I entertain both sides of this story.

[Killarney Rose]

Just a thought about the in laws. Eunice would have left an estate of some kind upon her death. Perhaps Tommy just didn’t want to have to deal with them after she was gone. Whether it would’ve been dealing with her estate or having them around to cast guilt upon him. The faux robbery to him would’ve been a good time to get rid of them as well.

[TheCars1986]

Originally Posted by Killarney Rose

Just a thought about the in laws. Eunice would have left an estate of some kind upon her death. Perhaps Tommy just didn’t want to have to deal with them after she was gone. Whether it would’ve been dealing with her estate or having them around to cast guilt upon him. The faux robbery to him would’ve been a good time to get rid of them as well.

Agreed.

Killing Eunice means her parents would have been around to question Zeigler's story, especially if the rumors about the unhappy marriage were true.

[Killarney Rose]

Yes indeed.

[Clockwork]

Originally Posted by TheCars1986

Agreed.

Killing Eunice means her parents would have been around to question Zeigler's story, especially if the rumors about the unhappy marriage were true.

That's just a lot of red tape where so much can go wrong by throwing in two other people to kill isn't it? That's mastermind material. I don't know, maybe if it is just him being shot and Eunice being killed the story is more believable?