Bio

Jerome Mallett was born on January 1, 1959. He grew up in Texas. Mallett had a troubled past. He faced legal troubles and had multiple run-ins with law enforcement. By the time of his adulthood, he had accumulated several felony charges, including robbery and probation violations. 

In his later years, Mallett was known to have a deformed right wrist. This condition allowed him to slip out of handcuffs, which would later play a significant role in his criminal activities. His life of crime eventually led him to be wanted on multiple warrants, including serious charges related to robbery. Before the crimes that placed him in the public eye, Mallett was primarily known as a felon living in Dallas.

Murder Story

On March 2, 1985, Jerome Mallett was pulled over for speeding by Missouri State Trooper James Froemsdorf on Interstate 55 in Perry County. Mallett, who was wanted on several warrants, hid his identification before the officer approached. When asked for his license, Mallett lied and provided his brother's name.

Trooper Froemsdorf handcuffed him and placed him in the front seat of the patrol car while he wrote a ticket. During this time, Mallett managed to slip one hand out of the handcuffs due to a childhood injury. He then attacked Trooper Froemsdorf, grabbing his .357-Magnum revolver.

In the struggle, Mallett shot Froemsdorf three times, injuring him fatally. Shortly after the shooting, a passing driver noticed Froemsdorf's patrol car and found the trooper's body inside.

A massive manhunt began for Mallett, involving many law enforcement agencies. Mallett was discovered three days later hiding in a vacant house, still in handcuffs. Police recovered Trooper Froemsdorf's stolen gun from Mallett's vehicle.

Mallett was later charged with first-degree murder. After a trial, he was found guilty and sentenced to death. His execution took place by lethal injection on May 23, 2001.