Bio

James Rexford Powell was born on August 23, 1946. He grew up in Louisiana. Before his arrest, Powell had a troubled history involving serious criminal accusations. He was involved in a significant case in 1984 where he was tried for attempted murder and other charges but was acquitted. This case drew attention due to the severe nature of the allegations against him, but he was ultimately found not guilty.

Powell later moved to Texas, where he maintained a lifestyle that included selling items at flea markets. His life took a drastic turn on October 6, 1990, when he became the prime suspect in the kidnapping and murder of a 10-year-old girl named Falyssa Van Winkle.

After a series of investigations, evidence emerged linking him to the crime, which resulted in his trial and conviction in 1991. This marked a significant turning point in his life, leading to his execution in 2002.

Murder Story

On October 6, 1990, Falyssa Van Winkle, a 10-year-old girl, disappeared from a flea market in Beaumont, Texas, where she was with her parents. Around 9 a.m. that morning, Joe Langley, Falyssa's stepfather, spoke with an acquaintance, James Rexford Powell, who also attended the market. Approximately an hour later, Falyssa asked her mother for money to buy peanuts. After that, she was never seen again.

Witnesses reported seeing Powell's motor home leaving the market shortly after Falyssa's disappearance. By the afternoon, Falyssa's body was discovered under a bridge in Newton County, around 80 miles from the flea market. Her hands and ankles were bound with rope, and the cause of death was determined to be ligature strangulation.

Authorities quickly focused on Powell due to witness accounts and the distinct paint job on his motor home. Two days after Falyssa was found, Powell was arrested at his home. During the investigation, Powell was seen cleaning his motor home thoroughly. However, forensic evidence linked him to Falyssa's murder, including hairs found inside his vehicle and DNA matches from sperm discovered on the victim's body.

Powell had previously been acquitted of an attempted murder charge in Louisiana. Nevertheless, the evidence presented in his trial led to a conviction for capital murder in June 1991, followed by a death sentence. Despite attempts to appeal, all challenges were denied, and he remained on death row until his execution by lethal injection on October 1, 2002. His final words before execution were, "I am ready for the final blessing."