Willie Jerome Manning, who was convicted of killing two Mississippi State University students in 1992, is requesting a new trial.
Manning was tried for two counts of capital murder in July 1994. DJournal.comsaid the victims of the murder, MSU students Jon Steckler, 19, and Tiffany Miller, 23, were shot to death Dec. 11, 1992.
Manning v. the state of Mississippi, which can be found in full on FindLaw.com, said Manning was breaking into Miller’s car when he saw Steckler and Miller nearby. He proceeded to force them into the car at gunpoint and drive away, later shooting them on Pat Station Road in Oktibbeha County and fleeing the scene.
The students’ bodies were found stripped of all valuables, and Manning was arrested shortly after for attempting to sell jewelry and other goods belonging to the victims.
During his trial, a former girlfriend of Manning’s said Manning used to practice shooting his gun into trees at his mother’s house, according to FindLaw.com. Upon further inspection, the bullet shells found in the trees were found to be fired from the same weapon as the bullets found in Miller’s body at the crime scene.
Manning was found guilty and received two death sentences. He was initially scheduled for a Dec. 1994 execution by lethal injection. However, Manning challenged his death sentence, and the execution was delayed.
In an article published Jan. 27, 1995 – just one month after the murder of Steckler and Miller – the Vicksburg Evening Post said two elderly women were murdered in Starkville.
Manning was once again charged with double murder.
During an attempt to burglarize the apartments of Emmoline Jimmerson, 90, and Albertha Jordan, 60, Manning beat and slashed the throats of the women. Their bodies were found in their Starkville apartments. Manning was found guilty of the murders in 1996 and was again sentenced to death.
Manning was tried for this double murder in 1996 and given another death sentence.
Manning has been fighting the case of the first set of double murders since his initial death sentence. He attempted to take his case to the U.S. Supreme Court, but he was denied an appeal.
One of Manning’s arguments deals with DNA and fingerprint testing. Advanced testing was not available at the time of the 1992 murders, and DJournal.com said Manning is hoping he can appeal his sentence in favor of further testing.