Bio

David R. Leisure was born on June 25, 1950. He later became known through his connection to organized-crime activity in St. Louis, Missouri. His case was tied to a violent fight over control of Local 110 of the Laborers Union. The dispute involved the Leisure family and rival groups connected to the union. After union leader Ray Massud became sick and died, there was conflict over who would control the union’s power and jobs.

Anthony Leisure expected to gain more control, but John Massud began making decisions without him. John hired people connected to rival groups, which angered the Leisure family. David Leisure became involved because of his family connection to Anthony Leisure. Meetings were held to discuss how the group should respond to the union conflict.

At first, the group considered killing John Massud, but they decided not to because of his political connections. They later chose James Michaels Sr. as the target. Michaels was a powerful figure in St. Louis and was connected to another faction. The group believed killing him would help them gain more influence in the union.

There was also a revenge motive. Some members believed Michaels had protected the person who killed David Leisure’s older brother, Richard. Before the murder, the group first tried and failed to shoot Michaels at a restaurant. After that, they planned to use a car bomb. David Leisure helped prepare for the attack. He followed Michaels to learn his routine, practiced placing a bomb, and later attached the bomb to Michaels’s car.

Murder Story

On September 17, 1980, David R. Leisure took part in the murder of James Michaels Sr. in St. Louis, Missouri. Michaels was 75 years old and was considered a major figure in the St. Louis underworld. The killing was tied to a dispute over power and influence within Local 110 of the Laborers Union.

The background of the murder began with a fight over who would control the union after Ray Massud’s death. Anthony Leisure expected to gain more control, but John Massud expanded his authority and hired men connected to rival factions. This angered the Leisure group and led to discussions about killing someone connected to the dispute.

The group first considered killing John Massud but decided not to because of his political influence. They also avoided directly targeting members of the Giordano faction because they feared a wider organized-crime war. Instead, they decided to kill James Michaels Sr., believing his death would strengthen their position among the Syrian faction and shift power inside the union.

Before the bombing, the group tried to shoot Michaels at a St. Louis restaurant, but that attempt failed. They then decided to use a car bomb. David Leisure and John Ramo stole a car similar to Michaels’s vehicle and practiced planting a bomb. David also followed Michaels around St. Louis to learn his routine.

On the day of the murder, David Leisure saw Michaels’s car parked at St. Raymond’s Church in St. Louis. Anthony Leisure, Ronald Broderick, and John Ramo picked up a van and retrieved a radio-controlled bomb. They met David near the church. The group parked the van next to Michaels’s car. David Leisure then slid under Michaels’s vehicle and attached the bomb. When Michaels came out of the church, he spoke briefly with his grandson and then drove away.

The group followed Michaels in the van. They tried to detonate the bomb using a radio control, but the first attempt failed. While following Michaels on Interstate 55, they tried again. This time, the bomb exploded. The explosion destroyed Michaels’s vehicle and killed him. The blast was so powerful that part of his body was thrown from the car. The bombing became one of the most infamous organized-crime killings in St. Louis history.

After the explosion, the group drove the van to Illinois, washed it, and then returned to Missouri. They also tried to remove traces of evidence from themselves and the vehicle. About a week later, Paul Leisure met with John Vitale, the new leader of the Italian faction after Anthony Giordano’s death. According to the State’s case, the meeting helped settle control of Local 110, with the Syrian faction gaining control. Two relatives of James Michaels were later fired from union jobs.

The investigation lasted years and involved local and federal law enforcement. David Leisure was eventually arrested and charged with murder. He was indicted in St. Louis City Circuit Court on May 22, 1985. His trial began on April 2, 1987. On April 7, 1987, a jury found him guilty of capital murder. On April 9, 1987, the jury fixed his punishment at death, and the court sentenced him to death.

The Missouri Supreme Court affirmed his conviction and death sentence on April 19, 1988. The court found that the evidence supported the capital murder conviction and rejected his main claims on appeal. Leisure continued to challenge his conviction and death sentence through state and federal appeals. His state post-conviction motion was denied, and that denial was affirmed in 1992. His federal habeas petition was later denied in 1998.

The U.S. Supreme Court denied review on March 29, 1999. On August 3, 1999, the Missouri Supreme Court set his execution date for September 1, 1999. David R. Leisure was executed by lethal injection in Missouri on September 1, 1999.