Edward Benton Fitzgerald Sr., born around 1958, had a history of violent behavior. In 1979, he was convicted for shooting at his wife, resulting in her paralysis. Daniel Leroy Johnson, born around 1961, was 19 years old at the time of the crime and had no significant criminal record prior to the incident. Both men were known to consume drugs and alcohol heavily.

On November 13, 1980, in Richmond, Virginia, 22-year-old Patricia Cubbage, a small-time drug dealer and police informant, was brutally murdered by Edward Fitzgerald and Daniel Johnson. The two men, under the influence of drugs and alcohol, decided to rob Cubbage for drugs. Upon being caught in the act, Fitzgerald attacked her with a machete, inflicted multiple wounds, and raped her. They then transported her to a wooded area, where Fitzgerald continued the assault, ultimately stabbing her 184 times, leading to her death from massive blood loss.

Fitzgerald was arrested hours later and charged with capital murder, rape, abduction with intent to defile, robbery, and burglary. He was found guilty on July 17, 1981, and sentenced to death. His execution was carried out on July 23, 1992, by electric chair.

Johnson cooperated with authorities, testifying against Fitzgerald in exchange for a plea deal. He was convicted of first-degree murder and burglary on September 24, 1981, and sentenced to 40 years in prison.