Tommy Zeigler an innocent Florida death row inmate caged wrongfully for 48 years
“The Truth Has Found Its Way To The Light” Tommy Zeigler 2024
Tommy Zeigler with his investigator Lynn-Marie Carty first meeting 2011
Investigator Carty’s investigation findings on the case have been filed with the Florida and United States Supreme Courts
Breaking News! Crime Scene Confidential with Alina Burroughs on Investigation Discovery Network Wednesday September 13, 2023 9/8c
Premieres Wednesday, September 13 at 9/8c on IDCSI Alina Burroughs returns to her hometown in Florida to re-investigate a furniture store massacre that claimed four lives on Christmas Eve 1975. Applying new technology to old clues, Alina tries to piece together a puzzle still fraught with mystery. Should Tommy Zeigler, the longest serving Death Row inmate in Florida be set free?
Alina Burroughs CSI Lynn Marie Carty Zeigler Investigator
Breaking News January 18, 2023 Hollywood Press Release Blood and Judgment Documentary Film Tommy Zeigler’s Decades Long Fight For Justice and Exoneration
Breaking News January 5, 2023 Tampa Bay Times Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody Meets Rejection After Effort to Block Zeigler DNA Testing
Breaking News December 19, 2022 Tampa Bay Times Tommy Zeigler Gets All Clear for DNA Testing
“Epic” Development Tommy Zeigler Case DNA Hearing October 27, 2022 Tampa Bay Times Tommy Zeigler DNA Testing 2022 One Step Closer
DNA Hearing September 19, 2022
July 1, 2022 Florida Supreme Court 7 to Zero Ruling, Rejects Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Attempt To Block Modern DNA Testing Paid For By Attorney’s On 46 Year Old Death Penalty Cases
From 2011-2017 Investigator Carty traveled extensively throughout Florida and Georgia gathering videotaped interviews with many new and old witnesses on the Zeigler case. Some of the extraordinary interviews filmed by a documentary crew are posted on this page.
Part of the taped examination of the Christmas Eve 1975 Zeigler Furniture Store murders when Tommy was administered Truth Serum by Doctor Machler at Largo Hospital.
Facts About Wrongful Convictions
Zeigler DNA Hearing Held March 25, 2022 Judge Strowbridge ” Court abated proceedings pending decisions by the Florida Supreme Court”
FACT The prosecutions lead detective Don Frye of the Orange County Florida Sheriff’s Department committed perjury on a grand scale when he told lies about Mr. Zeigler to the Grand Jury, under oath in his deposition April 1976 and on the stand at the Zeigler Furniture Store quadruple murder trial in July 1976
Tommy Speaks About Modern DNA Testing To Continue Proving Innocence
Justice Awaits Modern Touch DNA Testing 2022 Will Exonerate William Thomas Zeigler Jr.
Tommy Zeigler photo July 25, 2021 76th Birthday
What’s Ashley Moody’s Problem With Finding The Truth? Tampa Bay Times October 22, 2021
Florida Fighting DNA Testing For Death Row Inmate Tampa Bay Times October 20, 2021
Tommy Zeigler DNA 2021 Tampa Bay Times May 20, 2021
William Thomas Zeigler Jr. DNA 2021 Washington Post May 21, 2021
William Thomas Zeigler Jr. DNA 2021 Orlando Sentinel May 20, 2021
Tommy Zeigler DNA 2021 WFTV9 ABC Orlando May 21, 2021
” As long as there is breath in my body, I’m gonna have to hope and I do believe that sooner or later somebody with some intelligence and fairness is gonna stop and say ‘Oh no enough is enough’ That is what I believe.“
Breaking News Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody Fights Against Tommy Zeigler’s Modern DNA Testing Paid For By His Attorneys. She does not want the fingernails of the victims murdered at Zeigler crime scene to be tested with modern touch dna testing. Why??
Tampa Bay Times June 1, 2021 Florida Attorney Gerneral Ashley Moody Fights Against Modern Touch DNA Testing for Tommy Zeigler, After State Attorney Monique Worrell Agreed To DNA Testing.
Cold Cases Solved By DNA Testing Of Victim’s Fingernail
Who Had Urgent Motive In Zeigler Furniture Store Murders On Christmas Eve 1975 ? Tommy’s Brother In Law Perry Edwards Jr.
The new 2022 television series based on the true crime case of killer Pamela Hupp, who the prosecution, judge, lead detectives and state attorney befriended and used as their informant on the murders, not knowing she was actually the serial killer in the case, is titled “The Thing About Pam” The prosecutions lead detective on the William Thomas Zeigler Jr. case, Don Frye used Mr. Zeigler’s brother in law, Perry Edwards Jr. as his secret confidential informant on the murder case. Detective Don Frye admitted the fact he and Tommy’s brother-in-law, Perry Edwards Jr. actually had sleep overs at each other’s homes, in a taped documentary interview.
In the wrongful conviction of William Thomas Zeigler Jr. everyone needs to know “The Things About Perry Edwards Jr.”
Here the lead detective for the prosecution Don Frye stated he became good friends with Perry Edwards Jr. Detective Frye says they had sleep overs at each other’s homes during the investigation of Perry Jr.’s brother in law, Tommy Zeigler, for the 1975 Christmas Eve murders in the Zeigler Furniture Store. Here Perry Edwards Jr.’s former son in law describes in detail witnessing the severe beating by Perry Edwards Jr. of his own pregnant daughter Jennie Edwards. Here is the proof of the facts filed in court by Perry Edwards Jr.’s wife Sandra Edwards of the severe beating of his daughter Jennie Edwards, witnessed by Perry Edwards Jr.’s son in law, described in his video taped interview. What was the common denominator between Perry Edwards Jr., Charlie Mays and Robert Foster? They were all passionate and heavily involved in Softball in1975.
By 1971 Mays friend Robert Foster already had a rap sheet full of felonies that included him busted by police stealing TV Sets inside a closed Furniture Store while he was an escapee on the run.
Retired police dispatcher Mary Wallace kept the game roster for the softball team her husband Dean played on with Charlie Mays and Robert Foster in the late Summer and Fall of 1975. Perry Edwards Jr. gushed about playing softball for hours in the evenings during the Zeigler murder trial. In one of his very few media interviews, Perry Edwards Jr. gushed when he told reporters of his passion for the softball at work and after work. He stated he ran the inmate softball teams at the prison where he worked. However, there was no mention of Perry Jr.’s passion for softball in his obituary in 2013. Before his death Perry Edwards Jr. knew Mr. Zeigler’s investigator had figured out the prosecutions lead detective Don Fye lied to the defense and the media in 1975 and 1976. He told them and he also swore under oath in depositions and on the stand at the quadruple murder trial that Robert Foster never really existed in the Zeigler case, he was merely a typographical error. When Perry Jr. died, Robert Milton Foster had already been located and visited by Investigators who found him alive and well with many more serious felonies on his record.
William Thomas Zeigler Jr. aka Tommy Zeigler walked into his family’s furniture store in Winter Garden, Florida on Christmas Eve 1975. He was going to deliver the last few Christmas presents for the holidays. Tommy attempted to turn on the lights but they did not work. He was attacked. Suddenly he was in the fight of his life. He was shot and passed out. When he awoke he crawled over a body and looked for his glasses which he was legally blind without.
All he could find on the floor were Christmas bows. He found his spare pair of glasses he kept in his office and called for help. The police arrived quickly. Officer Thompson took Tommy to the hospital. He was prepared for gun shot wound surgery. By Christmas Day at 2pm, officer Thompson was having a conversation with Tommy’s brother in law Perry Edwards Jr. Thompson and Perry Jr. were standing together speaking when two of Mr. Zeigler’s attorney’s, Hadley and Van Deventer arrived at the hospital. When Officer Thompson met with law enforcement officers later Christmas day, he told them he had information that Tommy Zeigler was secretly a gay man who was cheating on his wife Eunce.
Prosecution’s lead Detective Don Frye stated he quickly became good friends with Mr. Zeigler’s brother in law, sole survivor of the Edwards family, Perry Edwards Jr. using him as his secret confidential informant on the quadruple Christmas Eve murder cases. Detective Don Frye says he and Perry Edwards Jr. slept over each others homes during the investigation of the murder case.
Surprise Wedding Shower For Tommy and Eunice Edwards Zeigler. They were married in 1967
On Christmas Eve 1975 Tommy’s wife Eunice, her mother Virginia Harper Edwards and her father Perry Barnett Edwards Sr. were all found dead on the floor of the Zeigler Furniture store. The crime scene photographer swore Tommy Zeigler instantly became the prime suspect. Also found dead was a man named Charlie Mays. The prosecution claimed he was an innocent customer. Mays had parked his blue-green van on the opposite side of a 6 foot chain link fence next to the closed furniture store. According to his son Ernie Mays, Charlie told his family he was going to the store to get them a TV. He said they would have lots of money for Christmas. His son Ernie Mays told retired Police Officer Ed Rowe on several occasions he saw his father Charlie Mays put a gun in his pocket. Ernie told Officer Rowe it was Mr. Tommy who was supposed to die that night, not his Daddy Charlie Mays. The gun of Charlie Mays was never found at the store. Investigator Carty interviewed witness Mary Wallace in 2013. Mary told her what happened to one of the guns found at the crime scene as it was held private from the Defense by the Prosecution for 10 days as they awaited the arrival of their famous, subsequently defamed, blood expert, Herb McDonnell. In this video clip from the show ” Unsolved Mysteries” the prosecutions blood expert Herb McDonnell repeated the same flawed demonstration also done in the courtroom for the Zeigler trial judge and jury in 1976. The only DNA testing Tommy Zeigler was ever granted proved he did NOT have his father in laws blood on his clothes. Tommy was arrested and convicted of the murders based on these lies about his father in laws blood. Tommy then had the misfortune of his case being assigned to a judge who had a grudge against him. Tommy went to a court hearing and he stood up for the good character of a long time family friend and business man in his home town of Winter Garden, Florida in the months before the murders. The man just happened to be a black man.
His name was Andrew James.
The business including the valuable liquor license that was owned by and deeded to his family since the 1940’s after the war the deed stated the property was never to be out of the hands of the African race. Browns Bar was in danger of confiscation by the State of Florida if Andrew James and his family lost his case.
The Judge Mauice Paul showed up at the character hearing of Mr. James in his robe and stood up against the good character of the same businessman. Andrew James was allowed to keep his family business. In Tommy’s case a few months later, the Zeigler Defense team filed a motion asking Judge Paul recuse himself from the Zeigler case due to recent prior interactions. Judge Maurice Paul, the judge with the prior grudge refused to recuse himself. Years after the original trial, Orange County Under Sheriff Leigh McEachern came forward to share the details of a Pre-Trial Zeigler Case Conference he and others were present at. The conference was hidden from the Defense Team. At the conference before the trial Judge Paul stated all he needed was a Murder One conviction and he would ” Fry the Son of a Bitch.”
Juror Irma Brickle wrote notes to the Judge while in deliberations explaining she was a victim of Jury Misconduct and Intimidation. Here is his written response to her concerns. Judge Maurice Paul actually took it upon himself to send relaxation drugs for holdout juror Irma Brickle without informing Mr. Zeigler’s defense lawyers in the death penalty case of William Thomas Zeigler. The jury recommended a Life Sentence for Mr. Zeigler. Instead the judge overrode the recommendation of the jury and sentenced him to death in 1976. He has been caged on death row in Florida for 44 years.
After defying the orders of Under Sheriff Leigh McEachern not to tell the Grand Jury Tommy Zeigler was a homosexual unless and until he found proof of the lie, Lead Detective for the Prosecution Don Frye was caught in the act when he attempted to suborn perjury in his preparation for the Zeigler trial. He went to the jail cell of an openly gay man and offered him a deal if he would testify he had sex with William Thomas Zeigler Jr. The inmate contacted the Chief of Police and his own mother to tell them both what Detective Don Frye just tried to get him to say. Chief Ficke then contacted one of Mr. Zeigler’s attorney’s Vernon David’s who immediately went to the jail to investigate and speak to the jailed inmate regarding what had just occurred. In the last affidavit of his life regarding the Zeigler case, original Zeigler Attorney H. Vernon Davids was adamant the details of the actions of States Detective Don Frye must be documented for history. Attorney H. Vernon Davids also stated when former police Chief Don Ficke and his wife divorced she contacted Vernon to say she found a gun in the attic wrapped in towel. She was sure it was involved in the Zeigler murder case. The Ficke’s reunited and remarried. Mrs. Ficke went silent about the gun in the attic. Was it the gun Charlie Mays son claimed he saw his Daddy put into his coat when he left the house Christmas Eve? Was it the gun Police Dispatcher Mary Wallace told Investigator Carty was removed from the Zeigler store crime scene by her husband, during the time the store was being held by the prosecution awaitng the arrival of their blood expert Dr. Herb MacDonell? Her husband Dean took the corn plant from the store per orders and brought it to Ficke’s home. Mary Wallace’s husband found the gun covered with blood inside the corn plant. The blood was then washed off the gun. Ficke had planned for Tommy to deliver the corn plant to his home on Christmas Eve 1975 for his Christmas present to his wife Rita. Using the corn plant to remove a bloody gun from the crime scene without suspicion worked.
State of Florida’s Zeigler Prosecution Blood Expert Convicted
Tommy Zeigler’s Investigator Lynn-Marie Carty’s letter/report to child molester State Of Florida’s blood expert Herbert MacDonell regarding lies about the Zeigler case in his book titled,”The Evidence Never Lies.”
Dr. Herb MacDonell prosecution blood Expert in William Thomas Zeigler Jr. December 25, 1975 murder case whose testimony keeps Tommy Zeigler caged on Florida’s Death Row for 39 years arrested for sexual abuse.
Zeigler Case Prosecution Blood Expert Herb MacDonnell
Tommy Zeigler 2015 State of Florida’s blood expert Dr. Herbert Leon MacDonell cannot be trusted. He has been molesting young girls since 1968. Dr. Herbert Leon MacDonell is a forensic fraud. His critical testimony in the Zeigler case was proven false through DNA testing. He claimed Tommy Zeigler held his father in law in a head lock and beat him to death. DNA proved Dr. Herb MacDonell who is a Sexual Predator was all wrong about Tommy Zeigler beating and killing his father in law. Dr. Herb MacDonell also lied about sexually abusing young girls. Dr. Herb MacDonell was arrested for his crimes of sexually abusing little girls. Here is Dr Herb MacDonell’s mugshot. Highly respected victim, his niece Karen Austin filed a motion/affidavit in support of DNA testing for Mr. Zeigler. This blood expert stated he believed Tommy Zeigler was of the ” AC/DC persuasion.” The state’s expert also went along with the prosecution’s flawed theory that Tommy Zeigler was a closet homosexual caught cheating on his wife with other men and that was his motive for the Zeigler furniture store murders. Dr. Herb MacDonell has now been arrested multiple times for sex crimes against young women
DNA testing also proved Dr. Herb MacDonell was wrong when he testified that Tommy Zeigler had his father in laws blood on his shirt. He did not. Herb Mac Donnell claimed Mr. Zeigler shot his father in law 4 times with multiple guns then beat his father in law to death by bashing his head in with a metal crank while holding him in a headlock in his famous demonstration for the TV show Unsolved Mysteries which was a recreation of the same demonstration performed by the prosecution for the original trial judge and jury in 1976.
Dr. Herb MacDonell jailed for sexual abuse and threatening to frame his young victims with their own dna if they told. Herb MacDonell’s niece recently filed documents with the Orlando court regarding sexual abuse charges against her uncle for his abuse of her in the 1960’s. She wanted the court to know she and her family are witnesses to contact on the Zeigler case regarding the character of the blood expert who the prosecution used to get their conviction and put Mr. Zeigler on death row.
His death warrant was signed twice by the former Governor of Florida Bob Graham in the mid 1980’s. Mr. Zeigler came within 12 hours of execution.
A re-investigation of the circumstantial evidence in his case proves beyond all doubt William Thomas Zeigler Jr. is innocent.
Investigator Lynn-Marie Carty Tommy Zeigler’s pro bono investigator 10 years
Investigator Carty’s investigation work product proves the true motive and mastermind of the 1975 Christmas Eve murders. Her investigation findings have been filed with the Florida and United States Supreme Court.
Tampa Bay Times Local Investigator Lynn-Marie Carty Hopes Evidence Will Help Free Death Row Inmate
Carty first read about the Zeigler case in 1993 when St. Petersburg Times journalist Tim Roche put her in touch with his friend Author Phil Finch who had just published a book called ” Fatal Flaw” about the Zeigler case. After the newspaper received a call from Ms. Carty, journalist Roche began investigating the case involving a local beauty shop owner. Roche told the beauty shop owner and Carty about the Zeigler case and the book that was recently published. Then Roche called Author Phil Finch and put him on the phone with Ms. Carty and the beauty shop owner. Within a week a box arrived from Finch with all the books he had published at the time, including “Fatal Flaw.” Carty was working on her very first case helping the beauty shop owner save her home for Christmas that year. She found Finch’s story about the Zeigler case fascinating and complicated. She put the book back in the box along with the others and did not look at the book again until the Sunday morning in January 2011 when she read a story in her local newspaper the St. Petersburg Times, by journalist Leonora LaPeter Anton. It was about the wrongfully convicted man, Tommy Zeigler featured in Phil Finch’s book Fatal Flaw. By the end of that day she read Fatal Flaw again, this time with more experience in her field of investigations after solving many complicated cases during her career. Carty was honored and blessed to work together with Phil Finch on the Zeigler case in the last years of Mr. Finch’s life.
P.I. Magazine October 2016 P.I. Lynn-Marie Carty: Her work may free Tommy Zeigler from Florida’s Death Row
Monique Worrell Wins Orange-Osceola State Attorney November 4, 2020 WKMG TV News Channel 6
Monique Worrell Wins State Attorney Primary 2020 Tampa Bay Times Leonora LaPeter Anton
Tommy Zeigler Coronavirus 2020 Tampa Bay Times Leonora LaPeter Anton
Tommy Zeigler Survives Coronavirus 2020 Tampa Bay Times Leonora LaPeter Anton, Zeigler looks forward to “Blue Skies Ahead.”
Keith Cate WFLA Tampa Bay News October 29, 2018 Will Tommy Zeigler be the next death row inmate in Florida to be exonerated? “Fighting For His Life”
“I’m Already Free” Song about Tommy Zeigler’s wrongful conviction
On I-Tunes by Dennis Wallace lyrics by Lynn-Marie Carty-Wallace and Dennis Wallace includes quotes from Tommy over the years.
Tommy Zeigler discussing his thoughts regarding the true mastermind of the Zeigler murders his brother in law Perry Edwards Jr.
Tommy Zeigler says,” this puzzle is put together. The evidence proves my innocence.”
Orlando Sentinel Story Scott Maxwell Tommy Zeigler DNA Testing January 8, 2020 and video “Orlando Sentinel Now” news program featuring Tommy’s case.
“Blood and Truth” Six Part Series Tampa Bay Times by Leonora LaPeter Anton and Cherie Diez November 25, 2018
Tampa Bay Times Blood and Truth Video
The Trail Went Cold Zeigler Case Podcast Part 1 Part 2
The Zeigler Family worked together at their family furniture store for 39 years
William Thomas Zeigler Sr. Beulah Zeigler and William Thomas Zeigler Jr.
Tommy’s Father William Sr. Distraught Over Christmas Eve Tragedy
William Thomas Zeigler Jr. engagement photo with Eunice Edwards
Mr and Mrs William Thomas Zeigler Jr.
Married in Beautiful Wedding Ceremony 1967
Mr. and Mrs. Perry Edwards Senior at their daughter and new son in law’s wedding. Mr. Perry Edwards Sr. was a retired teacher and a Minister. Mrs. Virginia Edwards was a teacher in Georgia. Mr. Edwards had an operation in 1975. He slept in a chair during the year as he recovered. Tommy and Eunice were giving him a new recliner for Christmas. They planed to drive the recliner chair back to Georgia in the trunk of the car securing the lid of the trunk with a cord. Mr. Edwards was told by his doctor to ” get your affairs in order”. In the months before the Zeigler murders Mr. and Mrs. Edwards Sr. went to the Colquitt Courthouse in Georgia. They signed out and removed their Will they had deposited there in 1967. Mr. Perry Edwards Sr. asked Tommy Zeigler to be the sole executor of their new Will during Thanksgiving 1975 when Tommy and Eunice went to Georgia as always to celebrate the holiday with Eunice’s parents. They intended to change their Will and leave their beloved farm land that had been in the Harper family for years, exclusively to their only daughter Eunice and her husband Tommy. The Edwards received checks for growing Pine Trees on their acres of land. Tommy Zeigler was formerly on the Beautification Committee in his home town of Winter Garden. Their son, the only sibling of Eunice Edwards Zeigler, Perry Edwards Jr. was enraged. Tommy declined his father in laws request to take over as executor on the new Will one month before the murders in Georgia at Thanksgiving. Tommy and Eunice did not want Perry Jr., who they considered a snake in the grass and trouble maker of the family injected into their lives in any way. They already had everything they needed and wanted. After the murders Perry Jr. took over within weeks of their burials due to the flawed assets check by the Georgia Law Firm Whelchel and Whelchel. The firm was hired by Zeigler business attorney Ted Van Deventer. The Georgia law firm only checked for the Edwards Sr.’s assets in the state of Georgia and did not search in Florida. This ruled out a motive for Perry Edwards Jr. as a suspect at the time. After the murders Perry Jr. inherited all the Edward’s beloved farm land in Florida that was in the family for years and sold it parcel by parcel just as they knew he would do.
On the day his sisters body was lowered in the ground Perry Jr. became sole executor of the Edwards Family Estate
Eunice was a teacher Tommy was a football coach. They met at the school they worked at together.
Valentine card from Eunice Edwards Zeigler to her husband Tommy Zeigler
Tommy and Eunice were in Love
Tommy Zeigler with his beloved dog Mr Patches.
The prosecutions lead detective Don Frye lied to the Grand Jury. He told the Grand Jury members Tommy was vicious and he cut the leg off his dog. The veternarian who operated on the dogs leg verified Don Frye lied. Fryes lie worked. Tommy was indicted by the Grand Jury. The damage from the lies of the prosecutions lead detectives was done.
Perry Edwards Jr was a Deputy Prison Warden in Georgia turned Life Insurance Salesman.
He caused shame and embarrassment for his parents with his alcohol abuse, fighting and drug abuse. He used the “N” word freely. He could not be trusted. It was well known he was a liar. He was less than co-operative when he was questioned by Zeigler Defense Investigator Charlie Robischaud. Perry Jr. lied to the investigator on several occasions. Why was Perry Jr. so concerned his fingerprints were on Curtis Dunaways car along with the fingerprints of Charlie Mays prints that were found on the Dunaway vehicle? The fingerprints of Charlie Mays on Curtis Dunaway’s car could not be explained by the Prosecution. Lead Detective Don Frye told the Atlanta Consitution journalist Jennifer Hess he never had May’s Van Processed. He refused to expain why? We know this is also a lie. What did the results of the fingerprints in the processed Van of Mays actually reveal?
Perry Edwards Jr. lied and told the Zeigler defense team investigator that Tommy Zeigler drove Curtis Dunaway’s car to Georgia 3 times. Tommy Zeigler would never drive the Dunaway car to Georgia for any reason. Tommy and Eunice had several nice new vehicles. Curtis Dunaway, along with everyone else who knew the men all know for a fact this a lie by Perry Edwards Jr. to cover his own actions which resulted with his concern that his fingerprints were found on Curtis Dunaway’s vehicle.
Eunice Edwards only sibling, brother Perry Edwards Jr. and his wife did not attend the wedding of Tommy and Eunice Zeigler. His father Perry Edwards Sr. worked as a former police patrolman, a teacher and a minister. He despised facial hair and long hair on men. Pictured is Perry Jr.’s appearance at the courtroom for the murder trial of his family. He wore a “walruss” mustache and long hair. Family friends said Mr. and Mrs. Perry Edwards Sr. must have rolled over in their graves
While Perry Edwards Jr. was still alive, actively harassing them and living in close proximity some of his family members came forward with their stories of the abuse, control and humiliation they suffered over decades of dealing with him. When Perry Jr. and his partner in the Insurance business disagreed and parted ways, Perry Edwards Jr. once again spread defaming stories about his former business partner, claiming the man was a gay. That ploy worked perfectly for Perry Jr on Christmas Day 1975 at 2pm. That’s when Perry Edwards Jr. immediately used the exact same smear tactics to gain the ears and confidence of Oakland Fl. Police Chief Thompson and the states prosecution lead detective Don Frye.
The prosecution,”Danced with the Devil” to convict William Thomas Zeigler Jr. The prosecution used information provided to them by a snake in the grass. The snake was Tommy Zeigler’s brother-in-law Perry Edwards Jr. He was the real mastermind of the murders and the state used him as their confidential informant to arrest Tommy Zeigler. For 37 Years there was a snake in the grass hiding in plain sight supplying the prosecution with lies aka “information” about his brother in law Tommy Zeigler to help secure his wrongful conviction.
Perry Edwards Jr. Snake in the Grass
Perry Edwards Jr. is the true master mind of the murders for which Tommy Zeigler remains caged 44 years, innocent. Tommy Zeigler’s brother in law Perry Edwards Jr. was the snake in the grass hiding in plain sight. The state of Florida used Perry Edwards Jr. as their confidential informant. He fed them vicious lies about Tommy Zeigler. His lies are documented in investigator notes and orginal files. The prosecutions state investigator Don Frye said on video tape that he had sleep overs at Perry Edwards Jr’s house. Who does that in a murder case?
Brave family members of the real mastermind Perry Edwards Jr., came forward to tell all they knew while he was alive, still taunting them and living in the same town.
Perry Edwards Jr’s granddaughter Nicole Jones speaks of witnessing her grandfather drinking every night, abusing and beating his family. Nicole Jones shares how she suffered at the hands of her grandfather Perry Edwards Jr.
Perry Edwards Jr.’s told his grandson in law Chris Jones he was going to see to it that he was DEAD.
Perry Edwards Jr. threatened to kill his grandson in law many times, in person and on the telephone.
Perry Jr.s former son in law Tom O. also claims he was told many times by the family when his future wife, Perry Jr’s daughter Jenny, was a young girl she was supposed to go to Winter Garden with her grandparents on the trip to the Zeiglers that ended up with the Christmas Eve murders but her mother, Perry Jr.s wife did not let her go. She was concerned ” there might be trouble.” The testimony of Tom O. is exactly the same as the testimony murder victim Mrs. Virginia Edwards’ good friend, teacher assistant, Mrs. Lizzie Parker told Investigator Carty happened. Thomas O. witnessed the violent temper of his father in law Perry Edwards Jr. many times. Tom O. told Investigator Carty about the time he and his girlfriend Jenny went to the home of her parents to tell her father Perry Jr. she was pregnant. Perry Jr. beat his pregnant daughter and made her have an abortion.Court documents found by investigator Carty, filed in court by Perry Jr.s wife document this beating of their pregnant daughter Jenny.
“Perry Edwards Jr. punched his pregnant daughter in the face with his balled up fist and dropped her to the floor, just like you would punch a man. Then he brought her to have an abortion.” Nicole Jones, was controlled by the violent temper and abuse of her Grandfather Perry Edwards Jr. Her father Tom, was Perry Jr.s former son in law. Tom witnessed Perry Edwards Jr.’s violence first hand as he pummeled his pregnant daughter, Nicole’s mother Jenny, in the face during her first pregnancy. Tom saw Perry Jr. punch his “daughter in the face and drop her like a man,” right before his eyes. Nicole’s husband Chris Jones and her father-in-law Deputy Gene Jones, have all shared important, startling, facts about Perry Edwards Jr. with Mr. Zeigler’s investigator. Chris Jones shared some of the violent experiences he had with Perry Edwards Jr., who just as court documents prove, has beaten and threatened to kill his family on a regular basis over the years.
Deputy Gene Jones is the law enforcement angel who helped Zeigler’s investigator Lynn-Marie Carty move the case in the right direction to uncover the truth and facts. Deputy Gene Jones used his expertise in law enforcement combined with his personal knowledge of the character of his daughter- in-law’s grandfather and provided extremely valuable information to Mr. Zeigler’s investigator, regarding Perry Edwards Jr. Subsequently, court documents unearthed by Carty support/prove this new witness information.
Investigator, Carty went Georgia to interview Mrs. Lizzie Parker and her sister. Mrs. Parker and Perry Edwards Jr.’s mother Virginia Harper Edwards were both teachers working together. They were good friends. The women spent the last day of Mrs. Edwards teaching career together.
The Parker Sisters With Investigator Carty
They provided additional information regarding the actions of Perry Edwards Jr. at the time of the 1975 Christmas Eve murders. Mrs. Lizzie Parke the former teachers aide to Mrs. Virginia Edwards was with her on the last day she was a teacher before she was murdered. Mrs. Parker also knew and confirmed Mrs. Virginia was excited to be taking her granddaughter on the fateful trip to Florida for the 1975 Christmas holiday. She also knew when Perry Sr. and his wife Virginia Edwards arrived to pick up their granddaughter at Perry Jr.s home she was not allowed to go with them. Perry Edwards Jr.’s wife Sandra told her daughter she could not go on the trip because,”there might be trouble down there.” It was Mrs. Parker’s husband, the game warden who accompanied the pastor who went to the home of Perry Edwards Jr. on Christmas morning to inform him of the murders of his parents and sister. Mr. Parker came home and told his wife Lizzie Parker that Perry Edwards Jr. had the strangest reaction to hearing the news. Mr. Parker said Perry Jr. acted like he already knew they were murdered.
Nicole Jones, also shared knowledge of Eunice Edwards Zeigler’s beloved antique diamond dinner ring that was stolen from the finger of Eunice’s (RIGHT) hand. Her right hand was (NOT) in her coat pocket. Her wedding rings were found on her left hand. Her antique diamond cocktail ring that she wore on her right hand, was not taken from her left hand that was found inside her coat pocket. The ring went missing as Eunice lay dead at the crime scene. That ring ended up in the possession of Eunice’s brother Perry Jr.’s wife Sandra May Edwards in Moultrie, Georgia. Her granddaughter Nicole was shown the ring and told she would inherit her Great Aunt Eunice’s ring one day. Together they took the ring to the Coloniel Bank in Moultrie, Georgia for safe keeping.
In July 1983 Sandra May Edwards filed for divorce from Perry Edwards Jr. but soon after canceled it. She filed for divorce a second time the following year. The divorce became final in March 6, 1984. The final divorce papers were mailed to Perry Jr. on April 14, 1984. It was at that very same time period that people from Georgia started writing to Tommy and visiting him, asking Tommy Zeigler questions about his brother-in-law Perry Jr. The visitors included a long time Zeigler family friend who was a Special Agent with the GBI Georgia Bureau of Investigations. They wanted to know if Tommy knew of his brother-in-laws whereabouts and activities on the night of the murders, Christmas Eve 1975. All of the sudden, out of the blue the people from Georgia started asking Tommy so many questions about Perry Jr. that it prompted Tommy to write a letter to his mother Beulah on May 7, 1984. In Tommy’s letter to his mother he asked her the same questions that he was being asked by the former Georgia Bureau of Investigations Special Agent. It seems that once the divorce was final, Perry Jr.’s former wife Sandra started sharing the truth about him. That ball stopped rolling when Sandra May Edwards’ new love interest a Georgia police officer passed away from a brain tumor. Sandra May Edwards went back to live with Perry Edwards Jr. They stayed together until Perry Jr died in 2013.
Here on Tommy’s website you will find proven facts of his case. The facts have been filed by Tommy Zeigler’s defense team with both the Florida and United States Supreme Courts. You will also find video interviews of William Thomas Zeigler Jr. speaking about the man who had an urgent motive to mastermind the Zeigler Furniture Store murders, his brother in law Perry Edwards Jr. Also, study the newly uncovered documents and convicted felon records of a key material witnesses, Robert Milton Foster, once hidden by the state at trial. Additionally, 2 robbery reports by eyewitnesses also hidden from the defense team by the prosecution at Mr. Zeigler’s 1976 quadruple murder trial.
Quote by Tommy Zeigler’s longtime pro bono New York Attorney Dennis Tracey to the Tampa Bay Times.
“If you really compare Tommy Zeigler and Perry Edwards Jr. in terms of their motivation to kill the victims, Perry Edwards had much more motivation,” said Tracey, Zeigler’s attorney. “He stood to gain millions from the estate of his parents, whereas Tommy Zeigler had a small life insurance policy, he had connections to Winter Garden, he was a model citizen. … It makes no sense.”
Aramis Ayala Conviction “Integrity” Unit 2019 claimed there is no dna modern testing that could exonerate Tommy Zeigler. Memos from their “investigation” exposed by Tampa Bay Times October 19, 2019
Many cold murder cases are solved by modern DNA testing on victim’s fingernail clippings for unknown dna profiles of the perpetrator. The state of Florida will not allow Tommy Zeigler’s Defense Team to have modern DNA testing on the saved crime scene fingernail clippings from his father in law, the man Mr. Zeigler is accused of murdering. Why?
A 1981 cold case solved by fingernail clippings dna testing
Serial rapist case solved by dna tests on fingernails
Cold case solved dna testing victims fingernails 1987
Solved case DNA testing on fingernails leads to murder suspect
The state of Florida claims Tommy Zeigler shot his own father in law Mr. Perry Edwards Sr. 4 times with 2 different guns, then held him in a headlock and bashed his head with a metal crank to finish him off. The prosecution experts documented the intense fight between Perry Edwards Sr. and his killer. His fingernail clippings are available and ready for modern DNA testing. One problem. The State Attorney in charge of Mr. Zeigler’s case was Aramis Ayala. She travels the world giving anti death penalty speeches including highlighting the epidemic of wrongful convictions by the justice system. After making Mr. Zeigler wait one year for her answer to his request for modern DNA testing paid for by his own attorneys, justice fighter Ayala has denied his request. She and her “Conviction Integrity Unit” actually claim there is no dna evidence testing that could possibly exonerate Mr. Zeigler. His defense team requested modern DNA testing on the inside of the guns used in the murders, the fingernail clippings from one of the victims, Mr. Zeigler’s father in law, Perry Edwards Sr., who the prosecution experts reported struggled and fought hard until his death. Type A blood was dripped on Mr. Zeigler’s deceased wife Eunice’s coat after her death. The blood cannot be Mr. Zeiglers blood. His blood type is O.
Additionally, a can of MACE was found at the crime scene by the prosecution in the early hours of the investigation. The can of Mace was never put into evidence by States Detective Don Frye. Why? Who had the can of Mace with them at the crime scence? Where is the can of Mace now. Did the can of Mace have fingerprints on it? Will we ever know?
Florida Death Row Chaplin Brother Dale Recinella and his wife Sister Susan at the Vatican sharing Tommy’s photo and plight with the The Holy Father Pope Francis.
Mr. Zeigler passed polygraph testing given to him by the number one examiner in the country as a requirement for his case to be featured on the TV show Unsolved Mysteries.
He has passed Truth Serum Testing given to him by a doctor at a hospital on video tape. Also the only limited DNA testing he was ever granted in 2002 proved he did not have one drop of his murdered father in laws blood on his clothes and that he did have the blood of the robber who attacked him in his store when he entered it on Christmas Eve just as Mr. Zeigler has claimed all along. Truth Serum Truth Serum Truth Serum Truth Serum Truth Serum
If you have any Zeigler case tips please contact:
Investigator Lynn-Marie Carty
Email lynnmarie1957@tampabay.rr.com
DNA Proved Tommy Zeigler is Innocent 15 Years Ago
The only dna testing Mr. Zeigler was ever granted proved the statements aired on the video clip from Unsolved Mysteries by the former Orlando State Attorney, Jeff Ashton are false. State Attorney Jeff Ashton stated wrongfully that Tommy Zeigler has the blood of his dead father in law on his clothes. In a 2013 interview for a documentary prosecutions lead Detective Don Frye lied about the blood of Perry Edwards Sr. His blood was NOT found on the shirt of Tommy Zeigler and Detective Frye has known that since the only DNA testing Mr. Zeigler was ever granted proved his statment was a lie in 2004. Tommy Zeigler’s father in laws blood has never been found on his clothes. When dna testing proved he was wrong, Ashton tried other tactics in the 2004 hearing to discuss the dna results. He tried to get a blood expert on the stand to testify the blood results showed Tommy performed a sex act on the dead body of Charlie Mays. Jeff Ashton one two three
In February 1976 FBI Reports Proved the States Blood “Evidence” against Zeigler was bogus.
This memo from State Attorney Bob Eagan sent to his lead Detective Don Frye show his concern regarding the FBI test results.
The FBI reports also could NOT connect bloody shoe prints the prosecution claimed were Mr. Zeiglers found at the crime scene. However that never stopped prosecutions lead detective Don Frye from telling lies to all who would listen claiming the bloody shoe prints were proven to be from Tommy Zeiglers shoes. It was in fact the bottoms of Charlie Mays shoes that were caked with blood.
State Attorney Jeff Ashton also lied in the 2004 hearing when he put on the court record Tommy’s fingerprint was found in a glove at the crime scene. The FBI reports the prosecution ran on the case in February 1976 known to all proved Tommy’s fingerprint was NOT in a glove found at the crime scene. Former State Attorney Jeff Ashton also put on the court record at the 2004 DNA hearing that Tommy Zeigler was on death row because he “secretly” purchased life insurance on his wife Eunice. That has also proved to be a lie at the original trial by the testimony of the Zeigler’s business attorney. He is the man who told them to purchase more life insurance. Would Tommy Zeigler leave the Insurance Policies laying in plain sight in his desk draw if he killed his wife to collect the insurance money? Several Florida Bar complaints were filed against Jeff Ashton to no avail. He’s a newly elected Judge.
Bar Complaint Response page one
Bar Complaint Response page two
Tommy Zeigler Case Key Material Witness Felton Thomas who testified he fired the murder weapons at Mr. Zeigler’s request now admits that never happened.
Key Material Witness Felton Thomas Now Says He Never Touched Or Fired Any Weapons In Orange Grove
Aramis Ayala and her Conviction “Integrity” Unit did not bring Felton Thomas back in for questioning. Tommy Zeigler’s 6th request for modern touch DNA testing to continue to prove his innocence was denied. Felton Thomas now says he was never even shown a line up by the police. In 2013 Zeigler’s investigator along with 2 retired police officers from Georgia, Deputy Gene Jones and Officer Jeff Thompson went to speak with Felton Thomas in the loby of his local police department at his request.
Felton Thomas mugshot arrested for battery on his wife. Subsequently, in 2014 Felton Thomas agreed to meet with two police officers and Zeigler’s investigator at the Ft. Pierce Florida Police Station. Felton Thomas told Investigator Carty the white man he was with who he thought was Tommy Zeigler was very sick and he was vomiting on the ground.
Police officer at the crime scene collected vomit from the ground of the Zeigler store parking lot directly below the front passenger door of the vehicle of Mr. and Mrs. Edwards Senior. The police told Felton Thomas they had their man and the killer was Tommy Zeigler. They told Felton the motive was money from insurance policies Zeigler took out on his wife. After watching a documentary about the Zeigler case a former Orange County Florida inmate contacted the Zeigler Defense team. He and another inmate were under police guard when they were transported to an Orange Grove to search for a bullet. Shortly thereafter the grove search he was deported to England. Years later upon seeing details of the case on TV Mr. Bulled wanted
the Zeigler Defense them know the Bullet was never found in the Orange Grove. He said the bullet used in evidence was planted in the grove. It was manufactured.
The law enforcement officers who were trying hard to make the case for trial and cement Mr. Zeiglers conviction, talked freely in front of the inmate knowing he was being deported. The inmates heard the officers say the information was provided to them by a confidential informant. They were told Mr. Zeigler and a Hit Man went to the orange grove to fire the guns.
Tommy Zeigler Tampa Bay Times DNA Testing 2019 Orlando State Attorney Aramis Ayala Conviction Integrity Unit Now Reviewing Tommy’s Case
William Thomas Zeigler Case January 4, 2019 WFLA Keith Cate Breaking News Orange County Florida State Attorney Aramis Ayala’s Conviction Integrity Unit Reviewing Tommy Zeigler’s Conviction
William Thomas Zeigler Jr. remains caged innocent on death row in Florida for 44 years awaiting his exoneration. The state claimed at the 1976 trial and still claims today the person they orginally called a ” key material witness,” Robert Foster does not exist and that he never did. They claim Robert Foster was never a real person in the Zeigler quadruple murder case. The state still claims today that he was just a typographical error. Robert Foster’s name was written 4 times on the Zeigler arrest report and published in the Orlando Sentinel newspapers for the entire first 3 weeks after the murders.
Tommy wished his hometown newspaper “The Orlando Sentinel” would dig deeper in 2019 and 2020. Years ago the Sentinel’s former vice president David Burgin cared so much about Tommy Zeigler’s wrongful conviction he wrote this clemency letter to then Governor Jeb Bush. Sentinel Vice President Dave Burgin admitted the slanted failures of his newspaper reporters in the Zeigler Furniture Store Christmas Eve quadruple murder case that continued for decades. It’s well known the Sentinel’s careless journalism in William Thomas Zeigler Jr’s hometown newspaper helped convict an innocent man. They owe it to Tommy Zeigler to examine the facts of his case. They also owe it to their readers to educate them on the facts.
The Sentinel readers need to know career felon Robert Milton Foster is real and he is still free. The felon witness whose name and drama was printed in their newspaper for 3 weeks is still alive. The Sentinel published a story claiming Robert Foster would be testifying in the preliminary hearing. Robert Foster was not there. The Sentinel published a story claiming, “informed sources” said Robert Foster and Charlie Mays were walking into the Zeigler store. They saw a body of a woman on the floor. Charlie Mays told Robert Foster to “Get Out Of Here.” Foster told the police he ran just as Charlie Mays told him to. A few months later Robert Foster was turned into a typographical error by the lie of the states lead detective Don Frye in his deposition under oath. The Sentinel reporters believed the states detective that Foster was nothing more than a typographical error. The newspaper dropped the subject and name of Robert Foster from all future reporting on the Zeigler case for decades. In 2011 Zeigler’s private investigator Lynn-Marie Carty discovered Robert Foster was not just a typographical error but he was in fact a real witness in the Zeigler case all along. We are confident the new staff at the Orlando Sentinel does care about these prior glaring mistakes in their journalism and will continue to update their readers with the facts. Mr. Zeigler is grateful that recently minds have expanded at the Orlando Sentinel. Tommy is pleased at the new effort of Orlando Sentinel journalist Scott Maxwell. He published several stories asking key questions about Tommy’s case.
Tommy Zeigler Investigator Carty
Robert Milton Foster Roams Free
Orange County State Attorney Aramis Ayala Conviction Integrity Unit 2019 did not question recently unearthed career felon Robert Foster. Why? He was a key material witness in Zeigler murders. He claimed to be in fear of his life in newspaper stories published by the Orlando Sentinel. Career felon Robert Milton Foster has 4 prison escapes, along with a history of arrest and conviction for breaking into a furniture store to steal two TV sets in 1971. Robert Foster was turned into a typo by states detective Don Frye who wrote the name of his material witness Robert Foster 4 times on Mr. Zeigler’s arrest report. It is a proven fact Robert Foster and Charlie Mays were friends and played softball together. Tommy Zeigler believes it was Robert Milton Foster who was with his friend Charlie Mays a the store on Christmas Eve 1975. Tommy is confident it was Robert Milton Foster who picked him up and threw him around like a rag doll crashing him into the appliances inside his furniture store. The lies of states lead detective Don Frye continued throughout the years. The results from the only dna testing Mr. Zeigler was granted in 2004 proved Mr. Zeigler did not have his father in laws blood on his shirt. The dna results also proved Mr. Zeigler did have the type A blood of Charlie Mays on his shirt. Mays is one of the men who attacked Zeigler when he entered his own furniture store and was suddenly in the fight of his life. In this video taped documentary interview in 2013 states lead detective Don Frye kept up his lies. Frye falsely claimed Tommy Zeigler had the type A blood of his father in law on his shirt. Here’s what the State Of Florida had to say about the career felon Robert Milton Foster the Prosecutions Lead Dective Don Frye swore under oath in his depositions and on the witness stand at the quadruple murder trial in 1976 never really existed in the case and was nothing more than “Typographical Error”.
Requirement of the Conviction “Integrity” Unit regarding cases they accept to supposedly conduct their full fledged in-depth re-investigations of: “There is a plausible claim of innocence (i.e. the defendant did not commit or participate in the crime charged or there is a conviction where the investigation reveals facts, circumstances and/or events which so grossly corrupted the fact-finding process as to substantially deny the defendant a fair adjudication of his/her guilt or innocence at trial, or, if the conviction was obtained by a guilty plea, prevented the defendant from making a knowing decision to plead guilty.” Anyone who diligently reviews all the case file materials, proven facts and documents displayed on this website alone would be able to determine Tommy Zeigler’s case meets the criteria set forth in the Conviction Integrity Unit to grant him modern touch DNA testing paid for by his own lawyers. Imagine if you will for just a moment what the Zeigler Furniture Store murder trial would have looked like with Robert Milton Foster and all his crimes laid out on the stand testifying against the Good Name of William Thomas Zeigler Jr.
The prosecution knew Robert Milton Foster committed all of the felony crimes and escaped from prison 4 times. They knew he was convicted for being caught in the act by police of stealing TV sets from a furniture store in 1971 while he was an escapee on the run.
ROBERT MILTON FOSTER HAS A HISTORY OF SHOOTING A GUN AT A WOMAN INSIDE HER HOME IN 1969. This fact about Robert Foster is very interesting when you consider the Orlando Sentinel December 1975 Newspaper Story: Informed Sources said: Robert Milton Foster told the police he went with his friend Charlie Mays to the Zeigler store to ” get” a TV and he saw the body of a woman on the floor of the Zeigler furniture store and then his friend Charlie Mays told him to “Get Out Of Here. “
Robert Milton Foster’s Previous Method of “Getting a TV ” FROM A FURNITURE STORE GOT HIM CONVICTED IN 1971 Who could logically believe all of this information would not have mattered to the conviction of Tommy Zeigler? It was intentionally hidden from the Defense, Judge and Jury By Orange County Detective Don Frye by his lies when he swore under oath in depostions and on the stand at the murder trial that Robert Foster was a Typographical Error.
So states detective Don Frye had to lie and say Robert Milton Foster was just a typographical error in the Zeigler case to make career felon Robert Milton Foster disappear.
It worked for over 3 decades. It’s not going to work anymore. Now the truth has been uncovered and exposed.
Investigator Carty gave her second press conference on the Zeigler case at the Orlando Courthouse in 2012
She asked for anyone with any information to give her a call. Within the hour a woman who was robbed on Christmas Eve 1975 at the Gulf Station directly across the street from the Zeigler Furniture store called with her tip. Her mother who was a single woman at the time, took her daughter to work with her on Christmas Eve 1975. A very large man with a gun came up to the window and in a “very polite soft Southern drawl” told her mother to give him all the money in the cash register. She refused. She swore at him and he ran away. Her mother called the police. Officer Thompson came to the Gulf Station to take the report right away. Years later when the woman and her mother watched the movie, “The Green Mile” and saw the actor Michael Clarke Duncan they were shocked at the resemblance of the actor to to their Christmas Eve robber. The woman’s mother exclaimed,”Well it looks like our robber has turned into an actor!” The woman told Carty if you can find our robber he will look just like Michael Clarke Duncan. Investigator Carty had the name of Robert Foster and the strange dismissal of his existence in the Zeigler case stuck in her mind. He was a key material witness in the Zeigler case. Then the prosecution made him disappear. Carty looked over all the records of felons in Florida named Robert Foster to see if she could find the robber. She figured anyone who would be so bold as to try to rob a mother and daughter on Christmas Eve probably has prior and additional felony records. It did not take long before she found Robert Milton Foster. He looked very much like the actor Suzie and her mother saw in the movie.
Michael Clarke Duncan and felon Robert Milton Foster
One of the two December 24th Christmas Eve Gulf Station attempted armed robberies has been admitted as a fact by prosecution detective Don Frye in a video taped interview in 2013. Frye stated yes there was an attempted armed robbery at the Gulf Station on Christmas Eve. Yes there was a police report written on it ( this police report to this day remains hidden from defense, judge and jury) but Detective Don Frye claimed the description of the robber does not fit Robert Fosters description. This is a baffling statement from the states lead detective Don Frye, who still claims in the same interview not to know anything about the Robert Milton Foster investigators Lynn-Marie Carty and Calvin Dennie found and spoke to. Carty was shocked when she heard the voice of Robert Milton Foster. He was polite when spoke, ” Hello Ma’am” he said as he continued to speak in a soft Southern drawl. he confirmed to Investigators Carty and Dennie he was in the area at the time of the Zeigler murders. The witness who suffered the attempted armed robbery a the Gulf Station with her mother on the night of the Zeigler murders agreed to be deposed by original trial attorney Terry Hadley with Investigator Lynn-Marie Carty at his office in 2012. Investigator Carty brought along her video camera to record the deposition. Attorney Hadley told the witness she was one of the most detailed witnesses he had ever questioned in his career. The witness was certain the Gulf Station Christmas Eve robber was finally found and his name was Robert Milton Foster. Subsequently, others including a retired police dispatcher who had known Robert Foster personally when he was in the area with Charlie Mays at the time of the Zeigler murders also verified he was the correct Robert Foster.
Knowing Tommy Zeigler is innocent ignoring it and failing to urgently take all actions available to exonerate him is a moral injustice of cruelty upon our fellow man. William Thomas Zeigler Jr. lost his beloved wife, his in laws and his business after he was shot and left to die bleeding on the floor of his own store on Christmas Eve 45 years ago. He is an innocent, suffering, victim who is now a senior citizen.
Ed Williams worked as the Zeigler’s handy man. Williams helped build the bathroom of the Zeigler store. He picked up Tommy at his house on Christmas Eve. Tommy and Ed rode together in Williams truck to the Zeigler store to complete the last Christmas present deliveries. Ed Williams claimed Tommy went into the store first, then pulled a gun on him and tried to shot him but the gun misfired so Mr. Zeigler got down on his knees and handed Williams the gun he just tried to kill him with. Then begged him not to tell anyone he had just tried to kill him. Then Ed Williams claims Tommy tried to stop Williams from running away and jumping over the fence outside in the back parking lot by putting his arms around Ed. Then Williams says he jumped over the fence with the gun Tommy gave him in his pocket. The lab reports on the boots he turned in to police showed they did not have a scuff mark on them. The clothes Ed Williams turned in to police were not the same as described by several other witnesses who saw Ed Williams before and after he went to the Zeigler Furniture Store on Christmas Eve.
FBI tests proved there was no gun residue in the pockets of the pants of Ed Williams He claimed to have carried a gun in his pants pocket when he fled the murder scene by jumping over the 6 foot fence. Ed said he ran across the street to the Tri-City Plaza and saw two sisters he knew at the Kentucky Fried Chicken. They testified Ed told them ” A white man tried to shoot me” he did not tell them Tommy Zeigler tried to shoot him. The testimony of the sisters is that Ed Williams called the man who tried to shoot him ” A White Man.” Does that sound like the truthful statement of a man who worked for a family for years? This news report say Ed Williams told police A MAN tried to shoot him at the Zeigler’s Furnture Store. Tommy said he drove with Ed Williams to the store. When they got to the store Tommy went in while Williams, who helped build the bathroom in the Zeigler store said he had to go to the bathroom, so he later testified he releaved himself outside the store in a corner of the parking lot. WHY? We believe the testimony of Ed Williams was coerced by police. Tommy was lying on the floor from gunshot wound the last time Williams saw him. Ed must have been surprised to hear the news Tommy Zeigler was not dead. At some point Mr. Williams changed the identity of ” a white man pulled a gun on me and tried to kill me” to a new story claiming Tommy Zeigler was that white man. This is not the first time a man involved in a crime changed their story to save himself from conviction and incarceration. Additionally, Ed Williams boss disputed his testimony regarding Ed Williams whereabouts on Christmas Eve Day 1975. His boss swore under oath that Ed Williams did not work for him the day of the murders on Christmas Eve. However, Ed Williams swore under oath that he did. His boss testified Ed Williams only came by for a few minutes to get money on Christmas Eve Day. Then he left. Ed worked on the gate at the Zeigler home that day. Ed went to the store and returned the gate key to Tommy even though he knew the plan was to pick Tommy up in a few hours to help him with the last Christmas present deliveries.
Tommy never saw Ed Williams again on Christmas Eve 1975 after he walked into his store. Tommy was attacked after trying to turn on his store lights, to no avail. The Orange County Prosecutor’s Office put forth in documents and in the media the fact that Ed Williams and Robert Foster were the orginal witnesses against Tommy Zeigler. The story of the witnesses Ed Williams changed dramatically since the first time it was documented by the Zeigler Defense Team in the investigators contemporaneous hand written notes. One version says informed sources told them Ed Williams ” happened upon the scene” on the night of the murders , claiming that Williams drove up a short time after the murders and met Tommy Zeigler at his store, which is totally contrary to the sworn testimony of Mr. Edward Williams under oath in his depositions and at the trial.
Robert Foster was not at the Preliminary Hearing on January 16, 1976 even though his name was still published prominently as a key material witness in the Orlando Sentinel that day. Felony parole records show Robert Foster was released from parole in January 15, 1976. Robert Foster’s name was never mentioned in the newspaper again until decades later when Zeigler’s Investigator Lynn-Marie Carty uncovered his connection and sudden rejection by the prosecution from the Zeigler case key material witness list. The Orange County Florida Prosecution’s lead Detective Don Frye claimed Foster was just a ” typographical error” that accidentally get into his head.
Instead of Robert Foster being present at the Preliminary Hearing a new Prosecution key material witness, Felton Thomas showed up.
Felton Thomas claimed to have participated in some of the actions Robert Foster swore to on the police report Detective Don Fye used to arrest Tommy Zeigler in his hospital bed. Felton Thomas wrote his name as Thomas Felton. He had 2 different dates of birth, day, month and year and 2 different social security numbers. State Prosecutor Bob Eagan insisted on calling Felton Thomas “Buddy” Felton. When Mr. Thomas was asked under oath how long he had the nickname “Buddy,” he replied, “Since all this happened right here.”
Modern DNA Testing For William Thomas Zeigler Jr. DENIED by Amanda Sampaio Bova
Amanda Sampio Bova of the Orange-Osceola 2019 Conviction Integrity Unit
Bova admits she did not take the time to review the entire Zeigler case file before deciding Tommy Zeigler should not be granted modern touch dna testing paid for by his defense team.
The Chief Investigator of Aramis Ayala’s Conviction “Integrity” Unit 2019 was William ” Eric” Edwards
Amanda Sampaio Bova was the new Director of the Unit. Bova wrote a memo about her review of Tommy Zeigler’s case. Part of her memo was published by the Tampa Bay Times October 19, 2019 by Leonora LaPeter Anton. Amanda Sampaio Bova is quoted as saying this, “Though I have not had the time to personally examine the entire case file, I have reviewed enough to be familiar with the facts…Because retesting of evidence would not lead to an exoneration, I do not see that further investigation by CIR is justified.” This is the attitude of the woman in charge of deciding if people begging for DNA testing to continue to prove their innocence for decades are allowed to have it. Why couldn’t she find the time to review the whole file? We’ve seen lots of low moments in Tommy’s case. The statements and attitude displayed by Bova when she was the director of the Orange County, Florida CIU are an abomination to the Justice System of Florida the state of the most wrongful convictions and exonerations in the USA.
CIU 2019 Chief of Conviction Integrity Unit Investigations William Eric Edward’s former boss is former State Attorney Jeff Ashton. In the 2004 hearing to discuss the exonerating DNA results of the only testing Tommy Zeigler was ever granted, Jeff Ashton attempted a disgusting tactic. He tried to get a blood expert on the stand to testify the blood results showed Mr. Zeigler performed a sex act on the dead body of Charlie Mays. State Attorney Jeff Ashton’s sex lie one Ashton sex lie two Ashton sex lie three
Jeff Ashton is now a Judge in Orange County Florida
In 2017 former State Attorney Jeff Ashton sat in the courtroom and watched. Ashton even whispered into the ear of state prosecutor Ken Nunnley as he kept fighting hard to deny Mr. Zeigler’s request for modern touch DNA to continue proving his innocence. Nunnely argued the reason prior DNA tests did not reveal Mr. Perry Edwards Senior’s blood on Tommy Zeigler’s clothes is because Mr. Zeigler must have worn a raincoat that was missing from the store when he killed some of the victims. Of course that makes no sense for many reasons. For one thing DNA was not even heard of by the general public in 1975. We know there was a trail of blood leading out of the store. We also know one of the killers had a 22 bullet in his shoulder. It makes sense the killer with the 22 bullet in his shoulder who tipster Nathanial Brown told the Defense team about is the man who wore the missing raincoat out of the Zeigler store as he exited the store bleeding from the shoulder wound.
In 2019 CIU Chief Investigator William Eric Edwards discussed his concerns with State Attorney Aramis Ayala over any recommendations to grant Tommy’s modern touch DNA request. Why? In 2019 CIU Chief Investigator William “Eric” Edwards took the DNA recommendation brief written by the former director of the CIU former Professor, Attorney Monique Haughton Worrell and he marked it all up with his own comments. He questioned all the important points she made in her report after her complete review of the facts. On one of his exposed “Mark Up’s” Investigator William “Eric” Edwards made he wrote, “How do we know this?” He asked that question in response to Monique Haughton Worrell’s correct statement of fact that Mr. Zeigler’s trial judge overrode the jury’s decision.
Anyone who has access to google even without access to the entire trial transcript, can find solid proof of the answer to Investigator William Eric Edward’s question within seconds if they want to know. A simple google seach of the phrase, “Did judge overide jury in Zeigler case?” would have shown Investigator Edwards this answer to his question. “The trial judge overruled the recommendation of the jury and imposed the sentence of death for the murders of the wife and Charles Mays.”
Professor Monique Haughton Worrell is obviously an open minded, hard working, justice seeker. She cares to study an entire case file before deciding to grant or deny a fellow human being the opportunity to prove their innocence by using modern touch DNA paid for by their attorney’s. The CIU unit’s new director who took over when Professor Haughton Worrell left the position Amanda Sampaio Bova, admitted she didn’t take the time to read the entire Zeigler case murder file before making the final decision to deny Mr. Zeigler’s request for touch DNA.
Regarding Professor Haughton Worrell’s investigation findings of Tommy Zeigler’s entire case file, the Tampa Bay Times Leonora LePeter Anton reported October 19, 2019 published her notes said the following: “If additional DNA testing can provide closure of issues related to Mr. Zeigler’s conviction, the State has a moral obligation to embrace the opportunity to show that they did it right. The basis of the American Judicial System is founded under the tenets of good faith, Haughton Worrell wrote. “Can the state of Florida legally decline to support additional DNA testing? Absolutely. Can the state of Florida morally justify decline to support additional DNA testing? Absolutely not.” The memo also stated Mr. Zeigler, “received a less than fair trial. ”
Lady Justice has fallen to the ground with the weight of the Evidence of Innocence
Who Was The Mastermind Of The Zeigler Furniture Store Murders? Tommy Zeigler’s Brother In Law Perry Edwards Jr.
The State Of Florida Prosecution used Tommy’s brother in law Perry Edwards Jr. as their confidential informant. Lead Prosecution detective became good friends with his confidential informant Perry Edwards Jr., they slept over each others homes during the investigation of the Zeigler murders. The Zeigler Defense Team filed a motion asking if any information from any Confidential Informants was used on the case. The Prosecution replied to the Defense motion on April 16, 1976, claiming they did not use any information from any Confidential Informants.
But in his May 14, 1976 deposition Prosecutions Detective Don Frye swore under oath that it was his Confidential Informant who told him Tommy Zeigler was secretly a homosexual and that his Confidential Informant was also helping Detective Frye ” to give me information on it as to which direction to go” in the case! Perry Edwards Jr. was the mastermind of the murders. Prosecution Detective Don Frye was fed lies by Perry Jr. about Tommy Zeigler. The lies about Tommy being gay were then used by the prosecution to defame Mr. Zeigler’s reputation forever.
Original trial juror Leatrice Williams Walton was in the courtroom for the entire trial in 1976. She did not know of the existence of the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edwards and the brother of Eunice Edwards Zeigler even though he/Perry Edwards Jr. testified under oath on the witness stand at the trail in front her the judge and jury. She believed the entire Edwards Family was murdered by Tommy Zeigler and there was no one left to grieve for any of them. Perry Jr. inherited the prized farm land that was in his mothers family for years and he quickly sold the land parcel by parcel just as his mother feared he would do upon her death. That is exactly why his parents were in the process of removing Perry Edwards Jr. from their Will.
Juror Leatrice Williams Walton also says the jury did not understand the “Cat Hair Defense.”
Eunice and Tommy raised their beloved persian cats
Hair from one of the Zeigler cats Missy and Little Mon was found on the socks, shoes, and sweat shirt of Charlie Mays.
Gold glitter consistant with gold glitter found at Zeigler home was also found on the socks and shoes of Charlie Mays. The State Attorney seemed concerned about these fact as documented in their file notes.
Juror Irma Brickle Stated She Was A Victim of Jury Misconduct and Intimidation
After she sent notes of concern to Judge Maurice Paul during deliberations over the Jury Misconduct and Jury Intimidation she was the target of Judge Maurice Paul actually took it upon himself to send relaxation drugs for holdout juror Irma Brickle without informing Mr. Zeigler’s defense lawyers in the death penalty case of William Thomas Zeigler. Instead the judge overrode the recommendation of the jury and sentenced him to death in 1976.
Did Jury Misconduct and Jury Intimidation Occur In Zeigler Case Jury Deliberations?
In this August 12, 1986 Atlanta Constitution news story clip when asked by journalist Jennifer Hess about the Zeigler murder trial jury deliberations, Juror Leatrice Williams stated, ” There were problems” during the deliberations. “There were some things that should not have happened. ” But I would not go on the record with those things that did happen.”
Subsequently this same Juror Leatrice Williams Walton who is now an Attorney said this in a 2013 documentary interview about the Zeigler case jury deliberations. She said the jury deliberation room was very small and if there had been any jury misconduct or jury intimidation she would have seen it. Both statements by this attorney/judge cannot be correct. In Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel newspaper articles it appears other Jurors who were in the same room with Juror Leatrice Williams-Walton felt Jury Misconduct and Intimidation did occur in the Zeigler trial jury deliberations.
Excerpt from Tampa Bay Times Article Interview by Leonora LaPeter Anton: Roberts said he pulled an empty gun out of the cart of evidence and pointed it at the back of Brickle’s head. He pulled the trigger, and the gun clicked. “That’s how he did it,” Roberts said.
The good news is this Juror Leatrice Williams Walton also stated in the Atlanta Constitution August 1986 newspaper article, “If new evidence to support Zeigler’s story were to come forth, then I would say yes,” in answer to the question of whether he deserves a new trial. Let’s hope she meant it.
What was Juror Leatrice Williams Walton doing at the Zeigler murder trial when Eunice Edwards Zeigler’s only sibling, her brother Perry Edwards Jr. was on the witness stand testifying under oath at the trial for the murders of his sister, his mother and his father? Juror Leatrice Williams Walton obviously did not know Perry Edwards Jr. existed. In this video taped interview in 2013 she says, ” There was no on left in the Edwards family to grieve for them.” That explains why she also obviously did not know the lead detective for the prosecution Don Frye used the sole survivor of the Edwards family, their son, Perry Edwards Jr. as his confidential informant on the Zeigler murder case. Juror Leatrice Williams Walton also stated she did not think any of the material witnesses who testified against Mr. Zeigler were connected to or knew each other, and the defense could not connect them to each other. That statement has also been proven false. Ed Williams landlady former police dispatcher Mary Wallace knew all of the men and knows they all knew each other.
Court Record Complaint Document filed against Perry Edwards Jr. for the beating and abuse of his family. His murdered parents Mr. and Mrs. Perry Edwards Sr. detested facial hair on men. Their son wore a walrus mustache and long sideburns to his parents murder trial.
Perry Edwards Jr. punched his pregnant daughter in the face with his fist then forced her to terminate her pregnancy.
Perry Edwards Jr. chased his grandson in-law outside a daycare center and screamed: “I will put you in jail for the rest of your life boy. I’m an Edwards. I have done it before and I will do it again.” Perry Edwards Jr. yelled these threats to his grandson-in-law in public.
Perry Edwards Jr. hired the gang to attack his own brother in law Tommy Zeigler on Christmas Eve 1975 in Winter Garden, Florida. His true motive was greed, revenge and extreme jealousy felt by Perry Edwards Jr. toward his respected, beloved, hard working businessman, community leader, brother in law Tommy Zeigler. On Christmas Eve Perry Edwards Jr. knew his parents brought their new Will with them to ask Tommy to be their new executor one more time. They planed to give the farm to their daughter Eunice and her husband Tommy Zeigler. That fact meant Perry Edwards Jr. was within hours of losing ” The Farm.” His parents feared their only son would sell the family farm land. They wanted it to remain in the family where it had been for so long. After his family was murdered that is exactly what their son Perry Edwards Jr. did with the prized family farm land. He sold it parcel by parcel.
Tommy Zeigler in his own words speaking in news video clips to Orlando NBC news anchor Greg Fox about the newly uncovered facts that prove the identity of the real mastermind of the Zeigler Furniture Store murders, his own brother in law Perry Edwards Jr. 30 minute raw interview with Tommy Zeigler and Greg Fox.
Those who have actually studied the newly uncovered facts know there is proof beyond any doubt who the real mastermind of the Zeigler murders was and his motive. Tommy’s case went all wrong. It was stuck in limbo for decades. The small minded few who reject the newly uncovered documented facts that prove the true mastermind and motive remain less concerned about the truth and Tommy Zeigler and more concerned about protecting their own egos and careers. Additionally, conspiracy theories regarding the mastermind and motive of the case have kept Mr. Zeigler caged and the public confused regarding the facts of the case.
Robert Milton Foster friend played softball with Charlie Mays after getting out of prison on parole for robbery and escape, in the summer of 1975. Robert Foster career felon key material witness in Zeigler murders the prosecution lead detective claimed was a ” typographical error.”
Robert Foster’s name was listed in newspapers for 3 weeks including on the day of the Preliminary Hearing as a key material witness in the Zeigler quadruple murder case. Then the prosecutions lead detective Don Frye testified under oath in his 2 depostions and on the stand under oath at the 1976 murder trial that Robert Foster was only a ” typographical error” that got into his head. He tells 3 versions of how the name Robert Foster got typed 4 times on the police report used to arrest Mr. Zeigler from his hospital bed. He blames his secretary Heidi Lee, who Investigator Carty asked for her side of the story. She said she never worked with Don Frye on the case at all. State Prosecutions Detective Frye never explained how he could allow the newspapers to continue to print the wrong name of one of his key material witnesses for 3 weeks and not have reached out to the newspaper to have this glaring error corrected and a retraction written. Frye saying nothing to the media about correcting “the error,” says it all.
Robert Milton Foster photo below taken by private investigator Calvin Dennie
Recently discovered key evidence supporting the innocence of William Thomas Zeigler Jr. unearthed by his investigator Lynn-Marie Carty. The prosecution’s key material witness of the Zeigler Furniture Store murders was career felon Robert Foster. In 1971 he was caught by police hiding behind boxes in the darkened Pearman’s Furniture Store with two TV sets by the door and his burglary tools. At the time the police caught him in the furniture store he was an escapee on the run. He was arrested, convicted and resentenced. Robert Foster was released on Parole in July 16, 1975. He was brought to Orange County to take care of a previous matter by detectives who were waiting for him outside the prison. He came to Oakland and was a softball umpire in games with his friend Charlie Mays.
The statements of Robert Foster against Tommy Zeigler were used to arrest Mr. Zeigler from his hospital bed while he was recovering from emergency surgery after being shot and left to die on the floor of his family’s Zeigler Furniture Store on Christmas Eve 1975.
It is important to note Foster was a friend of Charlie Mays. Charlie Mays was found dead on the floor of the Zeigler Furniture Store on the night of the 1975 Christmas Eve quadruple murders. Charlie Mays told his family he was going to the closed Zeigler Furniture store after dark to purchase a television set from Tommy Zeigler on the night of the Zeigler Furniture Store murders. After the murders Charlie May’s son Ernie Mays told retired police officer Ed Rowe many times ” It was Mr. Tommy who was supposed to die that night, not my Daddy.”
Ernie Mays told retired officer Rowe he watched his father Charlie Mays put a gun in his pocket as he said they would have a lot of money for Christmas. Retired police officer Ed Rowe swore to the facts of the statments made to him by Charlie Mays son Ernie. Orginal version page one page two Easy to read version
To prove her husband went to the closed Zeigler Furniture store and parked on the opposite side of a 6 foot chain link fence with money in his pocket to purchase the new TV for the Mays family for Christmas 1975, Charlie Mays wife Mattie Mays testified under oath she was with her husband Charlie Mays when he won money at the Jai-Alai Fronton. Charlie Mays was found on the floor with $400.00 and Zeigler store receipts in his pockets.
Mattie Mays page one Mattie Mays page two However, Defense Team Investigation Work Product proved Mattie Mays sworn statements about the gambling wins in the days before the Zeigler Furniture Store murders were not true. Investigation work product page one Investigation work product page two
The prosecution wanted everyone to believe Charlie Mays was just an innocent victim who went to the closed Zeigler Furniture store after dark and ended up being murdered by Tommy Zeigler. The prosecution claimed Charlie Mays had never been arrested. Charlie Mays was already implicated in crimes prior to the Zeigler Furniture Store murders. Charlie Mays was arrested for gambling in April 1975. He gambled money he needed to pay his employees who were migrant workers.
Mugshot Charlie Mays
Charlie Mays was one of the gang of attackers, robbers and murderers at the Zeigler Furniture store on Christmas Eve 1975. Charlie Mays was at the store that night with his good friend, career felon on parole, Robert Milton Foster. They went to the closed store after dark and Mays parked his van on the opposite side of a 6 foot fence. They had no intention of paying for the TV. Just as original tipster Nathaniel Brown told the Defense in his tip.
Nathaniel Brown was with the NAACP
As stated in his tip he was concerned for his own safety and had a plan in place incase something happened to him. Mr. Brown was a cross dresser from time to time. He wore woman’s clothing to meet with the Zeiglers attorney and family after he called Tommy Zeigler’s father to alert them he had information that proved Tommy was innocent. Nathaniel Brown’s name was on the original State Attorney’s witnesses list. However in the months before the trial Robert Eagan told Zeigler’s Defense Team to take Mr. Brown off the witness list because he was murdered in a shoot out in New York. Brown’s tip also included the fact the guns were wiped clean only the FBI knew that fact at the time. The tip also said someone was getting revenge because the Zeiglers’ had or were going to ” best them on a property deal.” And that Charlie Mays ( who went to the Zeigler store with Robert Foster who had a felony record for stealing TV’s from a furniture store) had no intention on paying for the TV. Brown’s tip facts also fit with new information we now have regarding the flawed assests check done on Mr. and Mrs. Edwards Sr’s assets by the Georgia law firm hired by the Zeigler business attorney Ted Van Deventer. The Georgia law firm Whelchel and Whelchel mistakenly only searched for the Edwards/Harper family assets in Georgia
They did not find their prized farm land filled with Pine Tree Crops in Chiefland, Florida, Whelchel and Whelchel’s flawed assets check subsequently ruled out Perry Edwards Jr.in 1976 as a suspect in the murders. Mays did not have the money to pay for a TV set. The testimony of his wife Mattie Mays claiming she went with her husband to the Jai-Alai Fronton in Daytona Beach, Florida on December 22, 1975 and she witnessed her husband Charlie Mays winning the Quinella or Perfecta on that date, or any other night in that season, was proven false by Zeigler’s investigators who aquired a list of all the gamblers who won and every date of their winnings. We have the investigation work product to prove the fact Mattie Mays testimony is false. After Investigator Carty uncovered the lies and the truth about Robert Milton Foster she wondered if Defense tipster Nathaniel Brown, who knew the murder weapons were wipped clean at the time when only the FBI knew that fact, was really murdered in a shoot out in New York in the summer of 1976. That too was a lie told by the Prosecution to the Zeigler Defense Team to get rid of NAACP member Nathaniel Brown. Investigator Carty found out the truth. Mr. Nathaniel Brown did not die until July 4, 2006
The facts prove Robert Milton Foster had already escaped from his prior armed robbery prison sentences many times before the year 1975. Robert Milton Foster was an escapee on the run when he was caught by police inside the Pearlman’s Furniture store in 1971 stealing 2 TV sets. The criminal felony record of Robert Milton Foster was set in stone years before he went with his friend, softball team mate, Charlie Mays to steal a TV set at the Zeigler Furniture store on the night of the 1975 Christmas Eve Zeigler Furniture store murders.
In 1971 while on the run after escaping from his felony prison sentence, escapee Robert Milton Foster was caught in the act by police. Robert Milton Foster was found hiding behind boxes inside the Pearlman’s Furniture Store where he and his brother were robbing the FURNITURE STORE STEALING TELEVISION SETS.
Prosecution Detective Don Frye signed this arrest report with Robert Foster’s name written on it 4 times.
Robert Foster has been on parole many times. His previous felony crimes include Armed Robberies which involved Robert Milton Foster wearing a SKI MASK, placing duct tape over the eyes of a Shoney’s restaurant store manager during his money drop in order to rob the man of his night deposit money.
This 1982 conviction of Robert Foster with a SKI MASK on bidding and robbing a store manager doing the nightly Money Drop. Of course this sounds very familiar to the incident that occurred on Christmas Eve 1975 across the street from the Zeigler store that was reported to police by 3 witnesses as an averted armed robbery of the TG&Y store manager at Tri-City Shopping Center doing the nightly money drop. This incident was well documented on a police report that the Prosecution hid from the Defense at the 1976 Zeigler Furniture Store quadruple murder trial. The hidden police report documents in great detail the events witnesses observed. The hidden police report states that all the witnesses watched 2 suspicious black men drive into the parking lot of TG&Y at 9pm on Christmas Eve 1975 and park their dark blue car. The suspicious men then exited the car and walked over to a dark area located between the two stores.
Witnesses said one man was large and stood over 6 feet tall and the other man was shorter.
The 2 men stood in the shadows between the TG&Y store and the Food World store. The witnesses then went over to the dark blue car and looked inside. They saw a shotgun sitting on the seat. They also wrote down the tag number of the license plate that was on the dark blue vehicle sitting in the well-lit parking lot. The tag number was traced by Zeigler’s Investigator Carty back to the same address where both Frank Smith and Felton Thomas once lived.
Frank Smith is the man who sold the guns to Ed Williams as the receipt for the guns cleary stated.
It is a fact that Ed Williams waited 3 months before telling this story to the police about Frank Williams and Tommy Zeigler being invovled together in a gun buy with him/Ed Williams in the middle of it. Why did ” honest Ed” wait so long to admit this to the police if it was true and he was innocent? Frank Smith testified he spoke on the phone to a man who he was told was Tommy Zeigler about buying the guns. The men standing in the shadows at the TG&Y at 9pm were obviously there to meet up with the others in their group who also later testified at the Zeigler murder trial that they ran across the street to the TGY after the Zeigler Furniture Store murders.
Robert Milton Foster career felon involved in Zeigler Murders state of Florida refuses to question him now. Why?
The 2nd Christmas Eve 1975 reported robbery occurred with in feet of the Zeigler store on the night of the murders AT 9PM. This is the time frame Ed Williams was in the same Tri-City shopping Plaza at the KFC meeting up with the sisters who he told ” a white man” just tried to kill him. The sisters gave Ed Williams a ride to his other vehicle which was being repaired at a nearby gas station. The police reports written regarding that averted armed robbery report which was also hidden from the defense, judge and jury. The incident appeared to witnesses at the Tri-City shopping plaza as an averted armed robbery. What they observed is officer Cindy Blaylock assisting TG&Y store manager George Daniels with his nightly money drop. The witnesses then saw the suspicous men get back in their car and leave the area swiftly . They thought the men were attempting to chase and rob the officer during the money drop. When in fact the men were attempting to get out of the area. Officer Blaylock was ordered by her commander to stop the money drop which she did. She was told to get across the street to the Zeigler store there had been a robbery. In summary what the witnesses saw in the Tri-City parking lot were suspicious men with a shot gun in their vehicle. The men parked their car and several witnesses looked inside and saw the shot gun. The large dark car was seen by 3 different witnesses at the Zeigler store parking lot with it’s wheels up on the curb and lights on in the hour prior to it being parked at TG&Y at 9pm. It was also seen at the Zeigler home earlier by the next door neighbor of Eunice and Tommy’s Mr. Ed Reeves. When the car was seen parked at Tri-City it was the men were meeting up at the Plaza located directly across the street from the Zeigler store at 9pm. They exited the vehicle and walked to the darken area between Food World and TG&Y. This was the same time as all the victims laid bleeding to death on the floor of the Zeigler Furniture Store. The witness reports of the suspicious men meeting up in the darkened area between Food World and TG&Y were reported by 3 different citizens as a 9PM averted armed robbery. Both took place on the night of the Zeigler Furniture Store murders across the street from the murder scene. Tommy and his loved ones were shot by robber attackers and were dying on the floor of his store. Officer Blaylock testified at the Zeigler trial but she never mentioned a word about the Averted Armed Robbery at Tri -City Plaza at 9pm on Christmas Eve 1975.
Tri-City Plaza view from Zeigler Furniture Store Parking Lot
The State of Florida prosecution against Tommy Zeigler took it upon themselves to hide this averted armed robbery police report from the judge, jury and Zeigler defense team. However, it’s plain to see why by reading the averted armed robbery police report that was hidden from the Zeigler defense team, judge and jury that the Winter Garden police department thought the threat of the suspicious armed men was so dangerous, real and concerning to them and their fellow police officers and citizens that the Winter Garden Police Department issued a teletype emergency BOLO to all police departments in the area to be on the lookout for the 2 armed black men in the dark blue car who may be following police officers and business owners as they are doing their night deposits in order to rob them. Just imagine the end result of the Zeigler Furniture Store murder trial if all this information was provided to the Defense by the Prosecution, instead of hidden.
Here is the Robbery Map showing the location of both police reports of both robberies reported at the Tri-City shopping center located across the street from the Zeigler Furniture store on Christmas Eve 1975 that were hidden from the defense, judge and jury by the prosecution of Orange County, Florida State Attorney’s Office on a quadruple murder death penalty case.
How many armed robberies could logically occur within feet of, directly across the street from and within the hours of quadruple murders, and not be connected to the murders? Tommy’s brother in law hired the attackers. Several of the men ran across the street with their guns. One tried to rob the Gulf station. Two of the others were seen standing between the TG&Y Store and Food World looking suspicious by witnesses who filed an official police report stating they had a shotgun. They were thought to have been trying to rob the female officer Cindy Blalock as she was assisting the TG&Y store manager with a money escort but in the middle of her assistance she was called to get over to the Zeigler store quickly, there had been a robbery. She is the female police officer with short hair, the Jellison family saw outside their hotel room in the parking lot covering the back of the Zeigler store with her shotgun on the hood of her police car who they assumed was a male police officer.
Robert Foster was sentenced to work the inmate road crews. Robert Foster escaped from his sentence of working on the inmate road crews many times. At one point he escaped in 1971 and was not captured until 1974. During that time Robert Foster was arrested and did time in jail in Marion County in the Florida Keys in 1972 for another armed robbery. He was sentenced to time served in that case. Foster has also used his brother’s alias of Freeman but when the police ran his fingerprints they found out it was Robert Milton Foster.
Calvin Dennie private investigator former Pinellas County Florida Sheriff’s Captain
When Robert Foster, according to his own statements to investigators Calvin Dennie and Lynn-Marie Carty was picked up in North Carolina by Orange County, Florida detectives after he was released from prison there and placed on parole for another robbery, he was returned back to Orange County, Florida by the authorities in the summer of 1975. At that time Robert Foster was on the softball team with his friend Charlie Mays. This was the softball team located in Winter Garden Florida in the fall of 1975, in the months before the Zeigler Furniture Store murders.
Investigator Carty’s 2013 interview with Ed Williams former landlady Mary Wallace
Orange County Florida Judge Whitehead ruled the perjury of Prosecution Lead Detective regarding the existence of Key Material Witness career felon Robert Foster did not matter to the Zeigler case. The Florida Supreme Court ruled there is no proof any of the men in the gang who testified against Tommy ever knew each other. Retired Police dispatcher Mary Wallace knew all of the men. She also knows that they all knew each other. Retired police dispatcher Mary Wallace knew Robert Foster and Charlie Mays. She saw them together many times in the months before the murders. She was also Ed Williams landlady. Ed Williams stopped at her office to ask her about curtains in his apartment in the hours before the murders. She saw Robert Foster sitting in Ed Williams truck. She kept the roster for the softball team they all played on with her own husband Dean. It’s important to note Edward Williams and Robert Foster’s initial statements in Defense Investigators briefing notes are in total conflict with the depositions and trial testimony of Edward Williams. Why? State Attorney Aramis Ayala said she needed Ed Williams testimony to go away before she would grant Tommy Zeigler’s dna testing request. The facts are many of the important details of Ed Williams testimony changed dramatically in his depositions and at the trial testimony compared to his initial statements to law enforcement in the days after the murders as the hand written contemporaneous notes of original Defense Team Investigator Gene Annan so clearly prove.
Robert Milton Foster At Zeigler Crime Scene far left under Zeigler store sign.
Robert Milton Foster was surprised when a photgraph taken of him while he was waiting for the body of his friend fellow robber Charlie Mays to be removed. Foster and Mays went to the closed store to pick up a TV Imagine if you will for just one moment what the Zeigler Furniture Store Murders trial would have looked like with Robert Milton Foster and all his crimes laid out on the stand testifying against the good name of William Thomas Zeigler Jr. The prosecution knew Robert Foster committed all of these dangerous crimes before the year 1975 and they had to make Robert Milton Foster disappear. It worked for almost 4 decades. Tommy Zeigler’s brother in law Perry Edwards Jr. was a Deputy Prison Warden from Moultrie, Georgia. He was also a Life Insurance Salesman. He has a history of extreme violence against his family. He beat his family, he punched his pregnant daughter in the face and “dropped her to the ground like a man.” Perry Jr.’s wife Sandra filed this record of his abuse with the court in Georgia. Perry Edwards Jr. was the son of two of the Zeigler Furniture Store murder victims Mr. and Mrs. Perry Edwards Sr. and only sibling, and the brother of another, Eunice Edwards Zeigler. Perry Edwards Jr. was the sole survivor of the family who did not like him. He did not attend his only sibling Eunice’s wedding to Tommy Zeigler in the years prior to the murder. Prosecution Detective Don Frye used Perry Edwards Jr. as his confidential informant on the Zeigler murder case. Detective Don Frye admitted on a videotaped interview in 2013 he and the murder victims son Perry Edwards Jr. had sleepovers at each other’s homes. Perry Edwards Jr. and prosecution detective Don Frye told many conflicting stories. Detective Frye claimed Perry Edwards Jr. told him the last time Eunice and Tommy were in Georgia before the Christmas Eve murders which was Thanksgiving 1975 Tommy Zeigler would not let his wife Eunice out of his site because he knew something was up with their marriage. However in an interview with Jennifer Hess with the Atlanta Constitution Perry Edwards Jr. said the last time he saw his sister with Tommy in Georgia on Thanksgiving 1975, Eunice was HAPPY. Both versions of his description of his sister Eunice on Thanksgiving 1975 by Perry Edwards Jr. cannot be true. More lies.
Regarding Detective Don Frye’s sleep overs at Perry Edwards Jr’s house, what kind of states lead detective for the prosecution in a quadruple murder case does that? Perry Edwards Jr. lied to the Zeigler Defense Team investigators constantly during their investigation. We have documents that prove his lies. Perry Edwards Jr. also made up a story at 2pm on Christmas Day 1975, he shared it with Chief Thompson at the hospital Christmas Day as Tommy was being prepared for bullet wound surgery. Perry jr claimed this brother in law Tommy Zeigler was secretly gay. He told Detective Don Frye Tommy Zeigler was having affairs with over two dozen prominent business men in town. He said his sister Eunice found this out so Tommy Zeigler had to kill her. Perry Jr. told Detective Frye he had proof in the form of a letter his sister wrote to their mother. However the letter Perry Jr. claimed to have was never produced by Don Frye. Perry Edwards Jr. also told another reporter, Diane Selditch, with the Sentinel Star newspaper in an interview at the Zeigler murder trial in June 1976 how he worked the prisoners in his charge on the inmate Road Crews hard so they don’t fight. He also stated he ran the prison softball teams. The state of Florida’s typographical error Robert Milton Foster was sentenced to and often escaped from his sentence on the PRISON ROAD CREWS. Robert Foster by his own admission to Zeigler investigator Lynn-Marie Carty and her associate Calvin Dennie was brought to Orange County, Florida by Florida detectives on July 16, 1975 the day he was released from parole in North Carolina. July 16, 1975 was the date Charlie Mays won the softball trophy in Apopka. Witnesses who knew both Charlie Mays and Robert Milton Foster also know the men all knew each other. In their orginal trial arguments the state of Florida claimed and to this day they still claim the men did not know each other. That is a lie.
Tommy Zeigler Florida Supreme Court Appeal Filed November 23, 2016 Tommy Zeigler May 8, 2017 Motion for Rehearing Florida Supreme Court Here Florida Supreme Court June 6, 2017 DNA Motion Filed July 2, 2015 Memorandum Of Law in Support of DNA Motion Filed July 2, 2015 State Of Florida’s Response To Tommy Zeigler’s DNA Testing Request September 23, 2015
Gratitude to all of Mr. Zeigler’s loyal Attorney’s Terry Hadley and H. Vernon Davids, orginal trial attorney’s. Gratitude to Dennis Tracey and David Michaeli of Hogan Lovells New York, NY and John Pope of Epstein Becker & Green for their decades of stellar pro bono work.
Tommy Zeigler has endured 44 years of suffering wrongfully. State Attorney Jeff Ashton’s Cardinal Sin In 2004 in his attempt to keep Mr. Zeigler from being exonerated while discussing dna test results that prove the states trial theory was all wrong.
Jeff Ashton’s 2004 cardinal sin. Ashton refuses to speak about his lie. In 2004 Ashton told the lie in open court in order to preserve his own ego, career and the conviction of Tommy Zeigler. Here is the truth of the lie that was uncovered by Zeigler’s Investigator Lynn-Marie Carty. Jeff Ashton lied about Tommy’s fingerprint inside a rubber glove found at crime scene while discussing exonerating dna results on the only dna tests Mr. Zeigler has ever been granted. Ashton told this lie and then proceeded to change the original trial theory when the dna results proved the original trial theory was a lie. Jeff Ashton knew it was a lie when he told it in the courtroom in 2004. State Attorney Jeff Ashton was sent a copy of the bar complaint filed against him for his lie about Tommy Zeigler’s fingerprin that included the Proof of his lie in the FBI report findings known to all parties since February 1976. Jeff Ashton did nothing to take any action to correct the record of the 2004 trial transcript that included his lie. Jeff Ashton is now a Judge. Jeff Asthon’s lie alone is another reason why the conviction of William Thomas Zeigler must be overturned now and a new trial granted. This lie and the proof of it was sent by Investigator Carty to the Florida Bar who instructed it be sent to Florida Governor Rick Scott. He replied if you have knowledge of a crime seek legal aid.
Pictured below meet former Orange-Osceola State Attorney
Here’s former state attorney Jeff Ashton in 2017 in the courtroom fighting against the Zeigler defense teams dna request. He is seated with some of the family members of Perry Edwards Jr. These are the faces of the people who are against allowing Tommy Zeigler DNA testing to continue to prove his innocence. Perry Jr.’s daughter Jenny Melissa Edwards who Perry Jr. punched in the face and forced to have an abortion when she was pregnant. Perry Edwards Jr.’s other daughter Ginger Edwards, along with Perry Edwards Jr’s wife Sandra May Edwards. In 1983 Sandra May Edwards filed court documents telling a judge that her husband Perry Edwards Jr. told her he was going to kill her and had committed horrible beatings on his entire family. They are sitting with their protector Florida State Attorney Jeff Ashton of the Ashley Madison Sex Scandal Fame and the Friend Finder Website Sex Scandal. We all know DNA proves the TRUTH. These people look scared to death to allow the truth to be known to the public by allowing DNA testing for Tommy Zeigler. Why are they fighting so hard to prevent the truth from coming out?
In 2012 Tommy Zeigler’s Investigator Lynn-Marie Carty tracked down and interviewed eye ear witnesses from the night of the murders who have never been heard in person by the court. Their names are Linda and Ken Roach. Ken Roach shared the details witnessed by himself and his wife Linda outside the Zeigler furniture store on December 24, 1975 at Investigator Carty’s press conference in July 2012 at the Orlando Courthouse.
Zeigler’s attorney Dennis Tracey explains what the witnesses saw and heard. Jeff Ashton declared the witness was not credible.
Eye, Ear Witnesses Ken and Linda Roach video at Press Conference Orlando Courthouse July 2012 held by Investigator Lynn-Marie Carty
Ken Roach, his wife Linda and their children, were on the scene in front of the store when murders occurred. Then they contacted the Orange County, FL. State Attorneys Office to share the information their ears heard and their eyes saw. They were told their information was not needed. Ken Roach and his wife Linda saw and heard the most important evidence of all in the Zeigler case. They passed two polygraph tests regarding what they saw and heard that night. Their sworn statements tell it all. Ken Roach 1 Ken Roach 2 Ken Roach 3 Linda Roach 1 Linda Roach 2 Linda Roach 3
The Roach’s swore out a new affidavit the original is signed and filed with the court. The are disgusted by the horrible treatment they have received from the Florida Justice System as witnesses to a quadruple murder. Meanwhile former State Attorney now Judge Jeff Ashton continues to dismiss the eye, ear testimony of Ken and Linda Roach as not credible.
Now Jeff Ashton has the nerve to say, “It would be nice to get Zeigler done.” Statement by Orlando Prosecutor and Former State Attorney Jeff Ashton August 29, 2012 State Attorney Jeff Ashton Fought Hard To Keep Tommy Zeigler Caged
In 2004 DNA Test results proved State Attorney Jeff Ashton’s statement on Unsolved Mysteries about key blood evidence is a lie.
Tommy DID NOT Have his father in-laws blood on the under arm of his shirt. If Ashton is so sure that DNA testing won’t make any difference why is he so against it? The taxpayers are not paying for it. Tommy Zeigler Transcript March 31, 2016
Why would the Orange County Florida State Attorney’s Office fight so hard against DNA testing if they are true to the oaths they took to be on a pursuit of the truth? Egos? Politics? Career’s?
State Of Florida’s Response And Objection To Motion For Discovery February 22, 2016
William Thomas Zeigler April 6, 2016 Defendant’s Response to state submission regarding the state’s new raincoat argument
State Attorney Orange County Florida Response April 7, 2016
Defendant’s Response In Opposition To The State’s Motion To Strike April 8, 2016
Pinellas County Sheriff Everett Rice
Pinellas County FL. Former Sheriff Everett Rice is also an attorney. He has put criminals on death row during his career in law enforcement. He has studied the original and newly uncovered Zeigler case facts for 9 years Everett Rice believes William Thomas Zeigler is innocent. His findings on the case are displayed on this site page titled Everett Rice.
All the newly uncovered investigation information, evidence and documents and case investigation workbooks made by Tommy’s investigator, Lynn-Marie Carty.
On July 2, 2015 a new DNA motion was filed. It was also rejected by the courts. Today Tommy sits on death row in his cage. He’s waited 44 years for justice and exoneration from his wrongful conviction of the 1975 Christmas Eve murders, in a state where the governor at the helm Rick Scott signed the most death warrants during his term than any other Florida governor in the history of the state. Florida is the home state of the most wrongful convictions and exonerations of any other state in the United States Of America. Mr. Zeigler’s loyal pro bono defense lawyers continue to fight with their spectacular motions.
Zeigler defense attorney John Pope with Judge Whitehead asking for modern touch dna testing to be granted for their client to continue to prove his innocence
By Dennis Wallace (original by Merle Haggard) Sing Me Back Home
” A Question of Innocence” Investigation Discovery executive producer Lynn-Marie Carty
Investigation Discovery documentary says Winter Garden furniture store owner was cheated of justice
Tommy had a name. He liked his name. He wants his good name back.
The first time I met Tommy Zeigler this is what he said to me
” As long as there is breath in my body, I’m gonna have to hope and I do believe that sooner or later somebody with some intelligence and fairness is gonna stop and say ‘Oh no enough is enough’ That is what I believe.“
Exonerate William Thomas Zeigler Jr.
Lynn-Marie Carty TommyZeiglerIsInnocent.com copyright © all rights reserved 2011 Investigation Work Product of Investigator Lynn-Marie Carty
This website contains years of copyrighted investigator work product of Tommy’s Zeigler’s investigator Lynn-Marie Carty. Please do not take or use any photographs, documents or any other material from this website without written permission from Investigator Carty’s Attorney. Thank You in advance for the respect.
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