James Harlan Drake was born on March 8, 1976. Not much is known about his early life, but he was employed as a truck driver. His mental health history includes documented depression, particularly stemming from a traumatic car accident in 2004 that resulted in the deaths of two teenagers, though Drake was not found legally responsible for that crash. According to his attorney, this event deeply affected his mental state. By 2009, Drake was struggling with emotional and psychological issues that would eventually manifest in violence. There is no record of a prior criminal history before the murders.

On the morning of September 11, 2009, James Harlan Drake committed a double homicide in Owosso, Michigan, targeting two unconnected individuals at different locations. His first victim was James "Jim" Pouillon, a 63-year-old anti-abortion activist known for his vocal protests and graphic signage. Pouillon was standing across the street from Owosso High School, oxygen tank at his side, when Drake drove by and shot him multiple times from his vehicle. Witnesses saw the attack, and one managed to capture the car’s license plate.

An hour later, Drake traveled to a separate location and murdered Michael Fuoss, a local businessman. Fuoss was shot 17 times at his place of work, Fuoss Gravel Company. According to Drake, this killing was personal, he felt Fuoss had mistreated his employees and even reportedly told the victim, “You should be nicer to your employees,” before opening fire.

After the second murder, police quickly traced the license plate and arrested Drake. He confessed to both killings. Drake explained that he was offended by Pouillon’s graphic anti-abortion signs near a school, which had upset his mother and young nieces. As for Fuoss, it was later revealed that Drake held a grudge over perceived mistreatment of others in the workplace.

While in custody, Drake attempted suicide by slashing his wrists with shards from a broken TV. He was initially ruled incompetent to stand trial due to mental health issues but was later deemed fit. During the trial, Drake testified about the murders, even cracking jokes in court, which damaged his defense’s argument that he lacked mental stability. Despite some family members of the victims asking for life imprisonment, Drake openly stated that he preferred death or life behind bars.

On March 11, 2010, he was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to two life terms without the possibility of parole on April 22, 2010. In his final remarks in court, he showed remorse for the pain he had caused, saying he hoped the families could one day find peace.

The case received national attention due to the unusual nature of Pouillon’s murder, he was the first known anti-abortion protester in the U.S. to be killed during a protest. While some hailed him as a martyr, others, including his estranged son, painted a more complex and troubling portrait of Pouillon’s activism.