Around 11 p.m. on June 16, 1983, two women were returning home from a vacation via the Florida Turnpike when their car broke down. John Marek and Raymond Wigley stopped and attempted to fix the two womens’ car. When Marek and Wigley were unable to fix the car, Marek persuaded one of the women, Adella Marie Simmons, to ride with the two men to a service station.
Marek and Wigley took the 47-year-old victim to a desolate beach approximately 60 miles from the car. The two men dragged Simmons to the observation room of a lifeguard stand. In the observation room, Simmons’ shorts were removed, and her pubic hairs and one finger were burned.
Wigley testified that the victim was forced to perform oral sex and was sexually assaulted repeatedly. Simmons was then strangled with a bandana at approximately 3:00 to 3:30 a.m.
At approximately 3:30 a.m. on June 17, 1983, an officer observed a truck parked approximately 100 yards from the lifeguard tower. The officer spoke with both Wigley and Marek before releasing them.
Around 7:00 a.m., a lifeguard found the victim’s body. At 11:30 that night, both Wigley and Marek were arrested because the truck they were driving was stolen. When the truck was searched, the Simmons’ jewelry and a gun were found. The arrest led to both Wigley and Marek being arrested for the murder of Simmons.
Fingerprints found at the lifeguard tower matched both Wigley and Marek. Only Marek’s prints were found inside the observation deck, where the body was found.
Marek and Wigley took the 47-year-old victim to a desolate beach approximately 60 miles from the car. The two men dragged Simmons to the observation room of a lifeguard stand. In the observation room, Simmons’ shorts were removed, and her pubic hairs and one finger were burned.
Wigley testified that the victim was forced to perform oral sex and was sexually assaulted repeatedly. Simmons was then strangled with a bandana at approximately 3:00 to 3:30 a.m.
At approximately 3:30 a.m. on June 17, 1983, an officer observed a truck parked approximately 100 yards from the lifeguard tower. The officer spoke with both Wigley and Marek before releasing them.
Around 7:00 a.m., a lifeguard found the victim’s body. At 11:30 that night, both Wigley and Marek were arrested because the truck they were driving was stolen. When the truck was searched, the Simmons’ jewelry and a gun were found. The arrest led to both Wigley and Marek being arrested for the murder of Simmons.
Fingerprints found at the lifeguard tower matched both Wigley and Marek. Only Marek’s prints were found inside the observation deck, where the body was found.
