On Thursday, Alabama executed 55-year-old James Osgood, a death row inmate, for the brutal rape and murder of Tracy Lynn Wilemon in 2010.
The crime, which one prosecutor called a “twisted fantasy,” was carried out by Osgood and his accomplice, his girlfriend Tonya Vandyke.
Osgood was executed by lethal injection, becoming the second person put to death in Alabama this year and the 14th nationwide.
The execution took place at 6:35 p.m. CT after the execution team struggled to insert his IV, attempting five times.
Commissioner John Hamm of the Alabama Department of Corrections confirmed the execution. Osgood had dropped all his appeals and had even fired his attorney in the months leading to his death.
He was ready to die for his actions, having confessed to the brutal murder of 44-year-old Wilemon, who was in the process of rebuilding her life after a divorce.
“Tracy, I apologize,” Osgood said shortly before his death, according to media reports. Witnesses noted that Osgood was crying as he lost consciousness.
The Crime That Led to Osgood’s Execution
On October 13, 2010, Osgood and Vandyke attacked Wilemon in her bedroom. According to Osgood’s confession, both he and Vandyke raped Wilemon and forced her to perform sex acts on them.
Osgood confessed to slashing Wilemon’s throat multiple times and stabbing her in the back. He described the moment, saying he remembered “seeing the fear in her eyes” and hearing her “shaking.”
In his confession, Osgood stated that there was no anger in the attack, but rather, fear. He explained, “She wasn’t dying, so I kept cutting her throat and neck.
” He even apologized to her during the crime, saying, “I’m sorry. It was nothing against her. She just needed to quit fighting and go.”
Prosecutor’s Statement on Osgood’s Motive
The prosecutor, Chief Assistant District Attorney C.J. Robinson, told the jury that Osgood “enjoyed” the crime, as it fulfilled his “twisted fantasy.”
“A life was taken because James Osgood decided he wanted to fulfill some twisted fantasy to kill someone,” Robinson said during the trial.
Osgood later told a judge that he deserved the death penalty. “I’ve always been a firm believer in an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, life for a life,” Osgood said during his 2018 resentencing hearing. “I screwed up. I deserve what I was given.”
While Osgood is no longer alive, Vandyke is serving a life sentence in federal prison for her role in the crime.
Tracy Lynn Wilemon’s Life Before Tragedy
Tracy Wilemon, 44, was described by her family as a hardworking and loving mother. She was in the process of rebuilding her life after a divorce and had been working at a nursing home.
According to her stepsister, Trisha Jackson, Wilemon was saving money to visit her daughter in Lake Havasu, Arizona. “She was thriving and happy,” Jackson recalled. “She was getting on her feet again … She restructured her life, started from scratch.”
Jackson said that Wilemon was very loved and that she had so much more life to live, especially since she never got to meet her grandchildren. “She would have made an amazing grandmother,” Jackson said.
Who Was James Osgood?
Osgood’s childhood was marked by severe trauma and abuse. He was raised in a difficult environment after his biological mother, a drug-addicted sex worker, was murdered when Osgood was an infant.
He suffered physical and sexual abuse throughout his youth, and court records show that he was malnourished as a child. Osgood was placed in foster care and even attempted suicide at one point.
During his trial, Osgood’s sister testified about the abuse they both experienced. Osgood, known for showing little emotion during the trial, wiped away tears as his sister spoke about their painful childhood.
Wilemon’s Family Witnesses Osgood’s Execution
Tracy Wilemon’s family members, including her stepsister and stepmother, made the long journey from Southern California to Alabama to witness Osgood’s execution.
Despite the horror of the crime, both women had forgiven Osgood and hoped that he had found redemption. However, they agreed that the execution was justified.
“He’s deserving of this,” Jackson said. “I struggled with whether I believe in the death penalty or do not, but I’ve concluded that it’s God’s will.”
Conclusion: The Price of Osgood’s Actions
Governor Kay Ivey of Alabama stated the execution, calling the crime “premeditated, gruesome, and disturbing.” She emphasized that Osgood and Vandyke had been inspired by a Hollywood torture scene to commit this heinous act.
“At the end of all of this, Mr. Osgood robbed Ms. Wilemon of her life, something that can never be reversed for her or her family,” Governor Ivey stated.
The execution of James Osgood serves as a grim reminder of the irreversible consequences of violent crime, and for the family of Tracy Wilemon, it marks the end of a long, painful journey toward justice.
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