Bio 

Connie Ray Israel was born on April 9, 1957. Before the murder of Esther Hagans, Israel had a criminal history that later became important during the penalty phase of his case. At sentencing, the trial court found that he had previously been convicted of another capital felony or a violent felony. This was used as one of the aggravating circumstances supporting the original death sentence.

Israel was living in or connected to the Putnam County, Florida, area when Esther Hagans was killed in December 1991. Hagans was an elderly woman who was known by neighbors and friends to sometimes carry large amounts of money. She was 77 years old at the time of her death.

The case against Israel was based on physical evidence, DNA evidence, witness testimony, and statements he allegedly made while in jail. Investigators found semen and sperm stains at the crime scene, and DNA testing later linked Israel to the evidence recovered from Hagans’ bedroom.

Murder Story

On December 27, 1991, Esther Hagans did not report to work. Because she rarely missed work unless she was seriously ill, a fellow employee became concerned and went to check on her. Hagans’ car was in the carport, but she did not answer the telephone. Police were then called to her home in Putnam County, Florida.

When officers arrived, they found the front door partly open. Inside the bedroom, they discovered Hagans’ body. She was naked on the bed, with her legs spread apart and her hands tied behind her back.

The medical examiner found injuries to Hagans’ head, including trauma, cuts, abrasions, and bleeding. She also had external vaginal injuries consistent with sexual assault. The medical examiner determined that her heart failed because of the stress and shock caused by the beating and sexual assault.

Investigators found evidence that someone had entered through a bedroom window. A screwdriver was found outside the window, and footprints were found on the front porch steps and in a drainage ditch near the house.

Police also recovered semen and sperm stains from items in the bedroom, including a pillowcase, a slip, and a bedspread. Semen from vaginal swabs taken from Hagans’ body was consistent with the semen found in the bedroom. DNA testing later identified Israel as the source of the semen evidence.

After the murder, Israel checked into the Palatka Holiday Inn on December 28, 1991, and paid cash for two nights. Maryann Pittman, an acquaintance of Israel, later testified that she smoked crack cocaine with him in the hotel room. She said she saw clothing soaking in red water in the bathtub. She also saw a black purse under the bed and money in Israel’s wallet. Another acquaintance, Melvin Shorter, testified that he sold cocaine to Israel. Shorter said Israel paid cash and claimed he had “hit the lottery.”

A jailhouse witness, Arthur McComb, later testified that Israel talked to him about the case while they were cellmates. According to McComb, Israel said he had gone to Hagans’ house to steal church money and had taken thousands of dollars. McComb also said Israel described sexually assaulting Hagans and striking her.

Israel was indicted on December 16, 1993, for burglary, kidnapping, sexual battery, and first-degree murder. His first trial ended in a mistrial on November 20, 1998, after the jury could not reach a verdict.

At his second trial, the jury found Israel guilty on all counts on March 1, 1999. The next day, the jury recommended a death sentence by a vote of 11 to 1. On May 28, 1999, the court sentenced him to life imprisonment for burglary, life imprisonment for kidnapping, life imprisonment for sexual battery, and death for first-degree murder. The Florida Supreme Court affirmed Israel’s conviction and death sentence on December 19, 2002. His later appeals and post-conviction challenges were also denied.

In December 2017, after legal changes connected to Florida’s capital sentencing system, Israel’s death sentence was vacated under Hurst. He was resentenced to life imprisonment.