Bio

Edward Harold Schad Jr. was born on July 27, 1942, near Syracuse, New York. He grew up in a troubled household. His father had been a prisoner of war during World War II. After the war, he struggled with alcoholism and was often abusive. This difficult environment affected Edward's early life.

After finishing high school, Schad left home. He began to travel across the United States and got into legal trouble in several states. Most of these issues were related to car theft and forgery. He claimed that he did not understand right from wrong until he joined the military. However, even during his service, he ran into problems.

Schad served in the Army, but his time there was not smooth. He was discharged in 1962 after being convicted of joyriding. He re-enlisted in 1966 and had mixed experiences during his service, with records indicating he may have been stationed in different places. By 1968, he was on leave in Salt Lake City.

During this time, a man named Clare Mortenson was found dead in his home. The circumstances surrounding Mortenson's death were complicated. It involved elements of autoerotic asphyxiation, and Schad was later linked to the case through various pieces of evidence. He was arrested and subsequently convicted of second-degree murder.

After serving some time in prison, Schad was paroled in July 1977. However, he quickly returned to a life of crime. On December 31, 1977, he rented a car in Salt Lake City but did not return it. Instead, he took a road trip with a woman and her children that spanned several states.

This path of crime continued into 1978 when he would come into contact with the victim Lorimer "Leroy" Graves during his travels. Throughout his life, Edward Schad faced many challenges and made choices that led him down a dark path.

Murder Story

On August 1, 1978, Lorimer "Leroy" Graves, who was 74 years old, started a trip from Bisbee, Arizona, in his new Cadillac. He was heading to Everett, Washington, to visit family. On August 9, 1978, Graves' body was found hidden in some brush near U.S. Highway 89, south of Prescott. His body showed signs of strangulation, with a rope still knotted around his neck.

Several weeks later, Edward Harold Schad Jr. was stopped by police in New York for speeding. At the time, he was driving Graves' Cadillac and had many personal items belonging to Graves in the car. Following this incident, authorities pieced together information from Arizona and Utah law enforcement, which led to Schad's arrest.

While he was on parole for a previous manslaughter charge, Schad was indicted for first-degree murder. He was taken to Yavapai County Jail in March 1979. His trial began later that year, and he was convicted in October 1979. Schad's conviction was later overturned due to a jury instruction issue, and he faced trial again in 1985, where he was convicted and sentenced to death for the second time.

Over the years, Schad's case involved numerous appeals, including a significant ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court. He consistently claimed he did not kill Graves and argued that he was a victim of misunderstanding and wrongful judgment. Despite his claims of innocence, he was sentenced to death on multiple occasions, culminating in his execution by lethal injection on October 9, 2013, after more than 35 years in custody.