Bio

Grover B. Reed was born on October 15, 196. In 1985, Reed found himself in a tough situation, with financial troubles and no place to stay.

In December of that year, Grover, a female companion, and two children arrived in Jacksonville, Florida. They had no money or resources. They received help from an organization called Traveler’s Aid, which placed them in the home of Reverend Oermann and his wife Betty. The Oermanns were kind and offered support to Reed and his family.

However, things changed when Reverend Oermann discovered drug paraphernalia in their home. He asked Reed and his family to leave but continued to offer them financial assistance and transportation for a time. Eventually, the Oermanns felt that they were being taken advantage of and stopped providing help. This decision upset Reed, and he responded by threatening to "get even."

Murder Story

On February 27, 1986, Grover B. Reed committed murder in Duval County, Florida. His victim was Betty Oermann, the wife of a Lutheran minister. Reed had been staying at the Oermann home after arriving in Jacksonville with a female companion and two children. Initially, Reverend Oermann provided assistance to Reed and his family. However, when Reverend Oermann discovered drug paraphernalia in the home, he asked Reed to leave. Despite this, the Oermanns continued to provide some help until they felt they were being taken advantage of and cut off their support. This change upset Reed, and he threatened to "get even."

On the day of the murder, Betty Oermann was raped, strangled, and stabbed. Reverend Oermann returned home that evening and found his wife in the living room. Authorities were called. Police found a baseball cap at the crime scene. A viewer recognized the hat as similar to one Reed was wearing on the day of the murder. They gathered fingerprints and hair samples from the scene which matched Reed. An expert also indicated that the semen found could belong to Reed. Additionally, Reed's fingerprints were found on stolen checks dumped nearby.

Reed's cellmate, Nigel Hacksaw, testified that Reed confessed to breaking into the Oermann home and killing Betty. In July 1986, Reed was indicted on charges of first-degree murder, sexual battery with a deadly weapon, and robbery with a deadly weapon. In November 1986, he was found guilty on all counts, and the jury voted for the death penalty by a majority of 11 to 1.

On January 9, 1987, Reed was sentenced to death for the murder of Betty Oermann. He received additional sentences for the sexual battery and robbery charges. Reed filed various appeals regarding his conviction. In June 1989, the Florida Supreme Court reversed his conviction but later affirmed it again in 1990. Reed continued to challenge his sentence through various motions and petitions, but these were mostly denied. His case remains ongoing.