On April 3rd, 2005, Alan Lyndell Wade and three oher individuals brutally murdered Reggie and Carol Sumner in Jacksonville, Florida. The couple were kidnapped, robbed, and buried alive in what was an act of heinous violence.
The case was heard by a jury of 11 people who believed that Wade should pay for his crimes with his life. However, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that a unanimous decision was required to impose the death penalty and so Wade avoided execution.
Wade was one of three people sentenced to death for killing the Sumners, alongside Michael Jackson and Tiffany Cole. After years of appeals from the defendants’ lawyers, all three death sentences were thrown out because they weren’t unanimous jury recommendations.
Now each defendant must face a resentencing trial to determine their ultimate fate. For Alan Lyndell Wade this means that he could once again face execution if the jury is unanimous in its decision this time around. It remains to be seen what will become of him but it’s clear that justice must be served for the murder of Reggie and Carol Sumner.
The Accomplishments of Alan Lyndell Wade
Alan Lyndell Wade was convicted of murdering a vulnerable Florida couple in their own home for their money. He and thre other individuals entered the couple’s home, restrained them and then proceeded to rob them. During the robbery, two of his accomplices shot the couple multiple times, resulting in their deaths. Wade was found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed robbery. Despite a majority of jurors believing that he should pay for his crimes with his life, under a Florida Supreme Court ruling requiring unanimity, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
What Became of Reggie and Carol Sumner?
On August 27th, 2005, Reggie and Carol Sumner of Jacksonville, Florida were kidnapped by Michael Jackson, Tiffany Cole, and William Wade. The three suspects took the couple to an undisclosed location whee they were robbed and then buried alive in a shallow grave. Despite their frantic attempts to escape, the Sumners tragically died from asphyxiation.
When the crime was uncovered by investigators, Jackson, Cole and Wade were arrested and eventually charged with first-degree murder. All three defendants were sentenced to death for their heinous crime. However, on appeal the death penalty sentences for both Jackson and Wade were thrown out due to lack of unanimous jury recommendations. Tiffany Cole remains on death row for her role in the murders of Reggie and Carol Sumner.
Resentencing of Alan Wade
Alan Wade was resentenced because his original death sentence was not unanimous. Under Florida law, a death sentence must be unanimously decided by the jury in order for it to stand. Since the jury in Wade’s case did not reach a unanimous verdict, his original sentence had to be overturned and he was granted a resentencing trial. This resentencing trial will alow the jury to reconsider the evidence and testimony presented during the original trial and determine if they believe that Wade deserves the death penalty or some other form of punishment.
The History of Death Row: The First Inmate
The first death row in the United States was established at the Philadelphia County Jail in 1790. It was created after Congress passed the Crimes Act of 1790, which authorized federal executions for certain crimes committed on the high seas. The first person to be placed on death row was Thomas Bird, who had been convicted of murder on the high seas. He was executed by U.S. Marshal Henry Dearborn of Maine on June 25, 1790. Since then, death rows have been established aross the country and are used to house individuals who have been convicted and sentenced to death for capital crimes.
The Burial Site of Reggie and Carol
Reggie and Carol Sumner were buried alive in the woods of Charlton County, Georgia. They had been kidnapped from their home in St. Nicholas, Florida and taken to Charlton County by four people. The kidnappers drove them to a remote location off of a dirt road near the Georgia-Florida border where they were forced into a shallow grave. They were buried alive with their hands and feet bound and duct tape covering their mouths. Fortunately, they were rescued after several hours when police located them based on a tip from one of the kidnappers.
The Life and Legacy of Bruce Nixon
Bruce Nixon is one of the three men convicted of murdering Reggie and Carol Sumner in 2015. He was charged with two counts of First Degree Murder as well as Armed Robbery and Kidnapping. Nixon was found guilty in 2017, but his sentencing was overturned when a jury failed to unanimously recommend the death penalty. Nixon is currently awaiting resentencing.
Alan Wade’s Place of Origin
Alan Wade is from Chattanooga, Tennessee in the United States. He is a singer-songwriter and musician who plays guitar and vocals. His musical genres include Ameripolitan, country, and rock.
Ronald Bell’s Resentencing Outcome
Ronald Bell Jr. was resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 1999 kidnapping and murder of his girlfriend’s roommate (the victim). Bell Jr. committed his crimes as a juvenile, but nonetheless was handed down this harsh sentence due to the gravity of the offense. This means that Bell Jr. will spend the rest of his life in prison without any chance of release.
Current Status of Emilia Carr
Emilia Carr is currently serving a life sentence in the Homestead Correctional Institution in Florida. She was convicted of first-degree murder in 2009 for her role in the death of her husband, Joshua Fulgham. After her conviction, she was sentenced to death on October 27th, 2009. Her sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole in 2015. Since then she has been held at the Homestead Correctional Institution, where she remains today.
Conclusion
Alan Lyndell Wade is one of four individuals responsible for the brutal murder of Reggie and Carol Sumner in 2005. He was unanimously convicted by a jury, however, his death penalty sentence was overturned due to a lack of unanimity in the jury’s recommendation. Wade now faces resentencing and could still be given the death penalty if found guilty again. Regardless of the outcome, his actions have caused the untimely deaths of two innocent people and their families will never be able to heal from this tragedy.
