Bio

Guy Tobias LeGrande was born in 1949. He lived in North Carolina. LeGrande worked with Tommy Munford at Jay’s Downtowner Restaurant in Albemarle, North Carolina. Tommy was the estranged husband of Ellen Munford. Ellen and Tommy had been separated for about two years. Ellen was living with another man, and Tommy had reportedly harassed her more than once.

Tommy told several people that he wanted to kill Ellen. He also took out a $50,000 life insurance policy on her and made himself the only person who would receive the money. Prosecutors said Tommy offered LeGrande $6,500 to kill Ellen. Because of this, the case was treated as a murder-for-hire.

LeGrande did not appear to have a personal conflict with Ellen. He became involved because Tommy recruited him and promised to pay him. LeGrande’s mental condition later became an important issue in the case. Before trial, he was evaluated at Dorothea Dix Hospital. Doctors said he did not appear to have schizophrenia or bipolar disorder at that time, but he showed signs of other mental and personality problems.

The court allowed LeGrande to represent himself at trial. During sentencing, he acted in a way that hurt his case. He insulted the jury, called them “antichrists,” and told them they could “pull the switch and let the good times roll.”

Murder Story

On July 27, 1993, Guy Tobias LeGrande entered the home of Ellen Munford in Stanly County, North Carolina. He shot her twice in the back with a shotgun, killing her. Prosecutors said the murder was planned by Ellen’s estranged husband, Tommy Munford. LeGrande and Tommy Munford knew each other because they worked together at Jay’s Downtowner Restaurant in Albemarle. Tommy and Ellen Munford had been separated for about two years. Ellen was living with another man at the time of the murder, and Tommy had repeatedly harassed her and trespassed at the property.

Tommy Munford had told several people that he wanted to kill Ellen. He had also taken out a $50,000 life insurance policy on her and made himself the sole beneficiary. Prosecutors said he promised to pay LeGrande $6,500 if LeGrande killed her. On the day of the murder, Tommy Munford arranged to take his and Ellen’s two children to the beach. This was done so Ellen would be alone at the house. Before picking up the children, Tommy dropped LeGrande off in the woods near Ellen’s home. LeGrande was carrying a shotgun.

After Tommy left Ellen’s house, he blew his horn. Prosecutors said this was the signal to LeGrande that Ellen was alone. LeGrande then waited in the woods for hours, watching the house. Later, he entered the home and shot Ellen twice in the back. After the killing, LeGrande made incriminating comments. The North Carolina Supreme Court stated that he bragged to a friend that he had “capped that ass.” The court also noted that the murder was planned, calculated, and committed for payment.

LeGrande was charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He was tried in Stanly County Superior Court in April 1996. The jury found him guilty of first-degree murder based on premeditation and deliberation, and also based on lying in wait. He was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder. During the sentencing phase, LeGrande represented himself. His behavior in front of the jury was extreme and self-destructive. He insulted the jurors, called them “antichrists,” and said they could “pull the switch and let the good times roll.” The jury recommended a death sentence.

On April 26, 1996, LeGrande was sentenced to death for Ellen Munford’s murder. He also received a consecutive nine-year prison sentence for conspiracy to commit murder. Tommy Munford, who planned the killing, received life plus twenty years in prison. On July 24, 1997, the North Carolina Supreme Court affirmed LeGrande’s conviction and death sentence. The court found no prejudicial error in his trial and left the death sentence in place.

LeGrande’s execution was later scheduled for December 1, 2006. However, a judge stayed the execution so his mental competency could be evaluated. In 2008, a Superior Court judge ruled that LeGrande was mentally ill and incompetent to be executed. The case changed again on December 31, 2024, when Governor Roy Cooper commuted LeGrande’s death sentence to life without parole. The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction now lists him as removed from death row because his sentence was commuted.