Bio 

Jimmie Wayne Jeffers was born on June 7, 1946. By the 1970s, he was living in Arizona and was involved in narcotics activity. In May 1976, Jeffers and his girlfriend, Penelope Cheney, were jailed on charges involving narcotics possession and receipt of stolen property. Jeffers posted bond for Cheney but was unable to do the same for himself. While still in custody, he learned that Cheney had been giving police information about his heroin transactions.

Jeffers reacted by planning violence against Cheney. While in jail, he wrote a note to another inmate offering payment if the inmate would kill Cheney. The note was intercepted by a jail guard before the plan could be carried out.

Jeffers was later released from jail in October 1976. After his release, he moved into a Tucson motel with Doris Van Der Veer. He soon contacted Cheney and used the promise of heroin to lure her to the motel room.

Murder Story

On October 20, 1976, Jimmie Wayne Jeffers brought Penelope Cheney to his Tucson motel room. Cheney was his former girlfriend and had reportedly given information to police about his drug activity. Jeffers promised her heroin, which led her to come to the room. Doris Van Der Veer, who was staying with Jeffers, left the room for a period of time. When she returned about two hours later, Cheney was unconscious on the bed. Jeffers had injected Cheney with heroin, but became angry when the overdose did not immediately kill her.

Jeffers then began strangling Cheney with her own belt. He later removed the belt and used his hands. He ordered Van Der Veer to inject Cheney with more heroin. He also beat Cheney in the face while insulting her and referring to her as an informant. After Cheney died, Jeffers kept her body in the shower stall of the motel room for three days. He later wrapped the body and buried it in a secluded area near Sedona, Arizona. An autopsy determined that Cheney died from a heroin overdose.

Jeffers was tried in Pima County, Arizona. His trial began on January 10, 1978, and he was convicted on February 9, 1978. He was sentenced to death on April 19, 1978. After later legal proceedings, he was resentenced on July 10, 1980. His appeals continued for many years. Courts reviewed issues including aggravating circumstances, mitigation, and the adequacy of his defense. His death sentence was ultimately upheld.

Jimmie Wayne Jeffers was executed by lethal injection in Arizona on September 13, 1995. He was 49 years old.