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Randolph Arledge
54
Transcript
The Investigation
Pre-Conviction
- Lucas, Lamas, and Arledge went on a joy ride in a stolen van.
- The three were detained in Tennessee in correspondence to an armed robbery charge
Celebrating Arledge's release
- Arledge was in Corsicana visiting family at the time of Armstrong's murder.
- He left the next day to go back home in Houston where he met up with some friends, Bennie Lamas and Paula Lucas.
- The three were detained in Tennessee in correspondence to an armed robbery charge
Arledge and his Son, Chris Arledge
- Both Lucas and Lamas were given probation
Trial
- Even though there was not enough evidence to connect Arledge to the murder, he was convicted and sentenced to 99 years in prison.
- March, 1984
- Lamas testified that Arledge had confessed about the murder, even stating he had the knife on him
- Lucas stated that Arledge had threatened her once, saying he killed a woman before.
- A pathologist attempted to link a hunting knife to the stabbing by saying that the size and shape of the knife was consistent with the stab wounds on Armstrong's body.
Carolyn Armstrong's gravestone
Exonerated
- Convicted in 1984 and exonerated in 2013
- Sentenced to 99 years in prison
How Can We Prevent This?
- The Innocence project requested that DNA testing be used on the evidence to see if Arledge was connected to the crime.
- The testing included hair samples from the black hairnet and washings from the victim’s pubic hairs, none of which were linked to Arledge.
Background
Causes for Wrongful Conviction
- Real perpetrator was found.
- David Sims
- False testimonies
- Misleading forensic evidence
- Perjury
- Arledge happened to be in the same town the day of the murder
The Crime
- Arledge had two kids, a 7 year old son and a 4 year old daughter.
- By the time he got out, his son was 39 and his daughter, Randa Arledge was 36 years old.
- His kids stood by his side through the entire 32 years of his imprisonment.
Randa Arledge (right)
-Over 40 stab wounds to the neck & chest
-Naked from waist down
- On August 30, 1981, 21 year old Carolyn Armstrong's body was found on a dirt road in Navarro County
- Armstrong's car was found several miles away with the key still in the ignition.
- DNA testing should be used every time evidence is obtained
- More evidence to actually prove who commits a crime
Found in the Car:
- Black hair net
- Partially smoked blunt
Randolph Arledge
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