Edward Lee Oates v. State of Mississippi

During the early morning hours of July 4, 1979, Marsha L. Allred was kidnapped from her job as a Memphis, Tennessee convenience store clerk. Skeletal remains found in a secluded area of Jackson County, Mississippi in November, 1979, were identified as Miss Allreds in April, 1980. The appellant was arrested in April, 1980, and convicted in May, 1981, of the capital murder of Miss Allred. A Jackson County jury was unable to agree on Oates punishment. In a seperate sentencing hearing he was sentenced, pursuant to section 99-19-81 Mississippi Code Annotated (Supp. 1982), by the trial judge to life in prison without parole as an habitual offender.