DEAD MAN WRITING
Jeffery Daugherty
Executed in "Old Sparky"
November 7, 1988

THE EXECUTION

 

As the stay expired at 5pm, Daugherty was escorted into the death chamber by prison officers.  Wearing blue dress trousers and a white shirt, he appeared calm.  He sighed as he was strapped into the chair.  His right trouser leg was rolled up so an electrode could be placed there.  A black hood was pulled down over his face and an electrode was placed on his shaved head.  During his last statement he did not mention his crimes nor his victims.  Daugherty's ex-wife Debra, had visited him in the morning with their two teen-age children, Barry and Stacy.  The family lives in Michigan.  Daugherty was also allowed a half hour visit with Susan Cary, a Gainesville attorney.  In the afternoon, he met with his father, William, also of Michigan.  The executioner released the juice at 5:12pm.  The killer was pronounced dead at 5:16pm.  Although he had killed several people, Daugherty was finally executed for the killing in Brevard County of Minnesota hitchhiker Lavonne P. Sailer, aged 49. 

Jeff (the killer who was executed) used to smoke weed big time like most people I know do. I wouldn't have the slightest idea what Bonnie or Ray are doing now.  I met Ray briefly.  He attended the trial. 

Raymond (Jeff's uncle, was in the thick of things too, but Jeff covered up for him like he did for Bonnie).  Raymond is a convicted felon now too out of the their home state of Michigan.  I do believe this is Jeff's uncle released from the Michigan DOC back in 1974... Here's his rap sheet:

http://www.state.mi.us/mdoc/asp/otis2profile.asp?mdocNumber=133866

As for the magazine story, Body Count From a Southern Slay Spree', it's a very gruesome story, very graphic.  It shows the magnitude of his evilness.  Here's a small sample...  

The body of a white middle-aged female lay soaking in a marl pit on the outskirts of Melbourne, Florida.  The cover photo reads, Body of Lavonne Sailer as it was found by three men on their way to work-- lying face down in a marl pit.  The woman, 49, died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head.  

 

Some of his statement from the Flagler County Jail--    
Q, Do you recall what particular part of the body you shot her? 
A, No, I don't.  It was dark, I was just looking at the OBJECT, you know?  Bonnie had changed into the dead woman's clothes right there in the car after the murder...

Bared thoughts on executions

HAVE A SEAT, PLEASE.
By Don Reid with John Gurwell.
Texas Review Press, $20 paperback.

 

 Have a Seat, Please (reissued in paperback in 1974 as Eyewitness)

 

 Reid became a kind of father confessor, often hearing the stories of the condemned on the last days of their lives. Some who had denied their guilt finally admitted their guilt to Reid, and prison officials saw that he had a calming effect on death row.

Reid had a problem. He got to know the men who were being executed too well. He came to see them not only as murderers but as human beings. Death is in the air these days, literally and figuratively. We want revenge.

 

Georgia recently abolished use of the electric chair as cruel and inhumane. But to whom? To the men condemned to sit in it? More likely it is cruel and inhumane for the executioners and witnesses. Reid describes how the smell of burned flesh remained in his nostrils for hours. Now we have lethal injection. It takes about three minutes to kill a man in this clinical way.

 

Texas had saved money by letting brutal inmates run the cellblocks. Now the death penalty is back, with Texas leading the nation in executions [Florida comes in a close second with the highest number of innocents released from death row].

 

Reid died in 1981, and someone else writes the AP stories, recording the final words of the condemned and their brief gasps as they lie on a gurney.

From: The 'Darn Yankee'
To: publicaffairs@mail.dc.state.fl.us

Cc: jeb.bush@myflorida.com ; fsprison@mail.dc.state.fl.us

Sent: Tuesday, 30 September, 2003 16:19

Subject: Execution of Jeffery Joseph Daugherty, Killer of Five
 

I have 57 letters from Florida's Death Row that are posted upon one of the wonderful sites of Kay Lee's.  You people will clean house if I have anything to say about it!  Your Department of CORRUPTIONS has more GUARDS at FSP (and UCI and various other institutions throughout the state) that need to get put in Q wing their own damn self, starting with the bald headed pig by the name of James Crosby, Jr.  Followed by Gov Jeb Bush for appointing Crosby to run the DOC!  God rot you and yours you murderers of Frank Valdes...       BuzzC ~ Columbia County

From: Buchanan, Debra

To: 'The 'Darn Yankee''

Sent: Wednesday, 01 October, 2003 6:55

RE: Boyfriend executed for slaying; Lack of evidence spared accomplice
 

I am sorry but sentencing is determined by the courts.  Jeffrey Daugherty was executed in 1988 as sentenced by the court and Donnie Heath was released in 1987 after serving her sentence. Please let me know if I can assist you further.

 

Debbie

From: The 'Darn Yankee'
Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2003 12:19 PM
To: Buchanan, Debra
Re: Boyfriend executed for slaying; Lack of evidence spared accomplice
 

Yes mam, I hear ya.  He spelled it JeffERY though.  And it's Bonnie not Donnie.  Wait 'til you see some of his letters on Kay Lee's MTWT site.  Bonnie was right there and according to the dead killer he just covered up for her.  In other words she should have gotten the death penalty too...        BuzzC

P.S. No need to be sorry.  He was a no good snake in the grass murderer who very much deserved his fate.  I was only writing him to try to make a buck or two off of his words.

 

BuzzC

From: Buchanan, Debra
To: 'The 'Darn Yankee''

Sent: Wednesday, 01 October, 2003 12:19

RE: Boyfriend executed for slaying; Lack of evidence spared accomplice
 

Our role is to carry out the sentence of the courts and we have no authority to change them. You are right about the spelling and please excuse my mistakes.

I don't tolerate assholes that rape, maim, and kill.  But even those fools are punished by losing their freedom.  And sometimes they do throw the piss and shit, and for that they need the goon squad to stomp them some.  But here in Florida SOME (translation: alot) of the guards are plain 'ol bad eggs who gas and beat senseless, inmates (convicts) yes, I know the difference-- who have done neither of those things.  They just beat them because they can.  The poor locked up fool doesn't have to do a MFing thing. 

Alot of the guards are on steroids and it's a well known fact that their use can create a rage within the abuser of them.  They then take it out on whatever inmate happens to be handy.  This is no bullshit!  Frank Valdes was murdered on July 17, 1999 at Florida State Prison.  See my very top link and you'll see the story.  All the guards were aquitted of his murder.  Frank was a stand up dude that didn't take any shit from anyone.  When he'd be cuffed up they'd smack him around and he'd just cuss them out over hitting someone in handcuffs. 

Sure he was convicted of killing one of their own (a guard during an escape attempt) but he was sentenced to the death penalty in a court of supposed law.  In Florida that means the condemned have their choice of checking out.  You can choose lethal injection or the electric chair.  But, you shouldn't be subject to being beaten and stomped to death whether you killed the Pope even.  And you certainly shouldn't have to endure daily gassings and beatings when you obey all the rules and keep your nose clean. 

That's the whole kitten kaboodle right there.  Here you get your ass stomped on whether you've done anything or not!  They fabricate bogus DR's and just do their thing, and it ain't right. 

Jeb Bush is the governor here.  I'm sure you know he's the president's brother.  Jeb appointed the former warden of FSP to head the whole state's DOC.  This was the very asshole who condoned and laughed about the Valdes murder.  If you reply I'll have to see it later on because I'm give out now and am signing off.  Be cool...   BuzzC