Bio

James Patrick Malicoat was born on May 4, 1975. He was adopted when he was just 18 months old. He experienced severe abuse during his childhood. His adoptive father was known to be very harsh, engaging in abusive behavior. There were instances where James was beaten and punished in extreme ways for small mistakes.

He grew up in a household where violence was a constant presence. His mother later described how he was often treated differently than his adoptive siblings. 

James pursued a basic education, and as a young adult, he worked in a number of manual labor jobs, including oil rig work. This job often required him to work night shifts. While he did become a father, his relationship with his daughter Tessa's mother was complex and ultimately troubled.

In the weeks leading up to the tragic event involving his daughter, James was involved in caregiving while also managing the demands of night work. He and Tessa's mother had been living together for a short time, just 19 days, before the incident occurred. 

Murder Story

James Patrick Malicoat was responsible for the death of his 13-month-old daughter, Tessa Leadford, on February 21, 1997. At the time, he was caring for her while her mother was at work. In the days leading up to Tessa's death, she suffered severe injuries, including two subdural hematomas and severe abdominal bleeding, which were inflicted by Malicoat. She also had broken ribs, bite marks, and extensive bruises all over her body.

On the day of the murder, Malicoat admitted to hitting Tessa’s head against a dresser a few days before her death and punching her twice in the stomach on the day she died. This caused her to stop breathing, and he attempted to perform CPR on her in an effort to revive her. After he thought she had regained consciousness, he went to lie down beside her and took a nap. When he awoke some hours later, he found Tessa unresponsive. He placed her in her crib, covered her with a blanket, and then went back to sleep.

When Tessa's mother returned home from work, the couple took her to the emergency room, but the medical staff determined that she had been deceased for several hours. Consequently, both Malicoat and Mary Ann Leadford, Tessa's mother, were arrested in connection with her death. Mary Ann Leadford was later convicted of first-degree murder for her role in the incident and was sentenced to life in prison.

Following his arrest, Malicoat underwent a trial where he was convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death. After several appeals and legal proceedings, James Patrick Malicoat was executed by lethal injection in Oklahoma on August 31, 2006.