Atmore, AL — James Osgood, convicted of the 2010 rape and murder of Tracy Lynn Wilemon (formerly Brown), was executed by lethal injection Thursday evening at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama. The execution was cleared to begin at 6:12 p.m., and Osgood was pronounced dead at 6:35 p.m.
Osgood, 46, was sentenced to death for two counts of capital murder—murder committed during the course of rape and during the course of sodomy. A Chilton County jury unanimously recommended the death penalty following his conviction, and the trial court accepted that recommendation.
Tracy Wilemon’s body was discovered on October 18, 2010, after she failed to report to work. According to investigators, Wilemon had last been seen in the company of Osgood and his girlfriend, Tonya Vandyke. Search warrants executed on Osgood’s residence and vehicle yielded evidence, and a statement from an inmate led authorities to Vandyke, who reportedly admitted to involvement in the murder. Osgood later confessed to the crime, providing detailed information about the planning and execution of the attack.
Earlier in the day, Governor Kay Ivey declined to grant clemency, authorizing the Alabama Department of Corrections to carry out the sentence. “The murder of Tracy Wilemon was premeditated, gruesome and disturbing, and tonight, the state carried out the death sentence of James Osgood,” Ivey said in a written statement, calling the crime “heinous” and expressing hope for a sense of closure for Wilemon’s family.
Attorney General Steve Marshall also issued a statement following the execution, emphasizing the brutality of the crime and the jury’s decision. “Nearly fifteen years ago, James Osgood committed an unspeakable act of violence,” Marshall stated. “Tonight, my heart and prayers are with Tracy’s family. We are unwavering in our commitment to seek justice.”
Tonya Vandyke, Osgood’s accomplice, is serving a life sentence in connection with the murder and is not eligible for parole.
Wilemon’s family has not released a public statement.
