Bio

John Thomas Noland Jr. was born on June 18, 1948. He grew up in South Carolina. Noland married Susan Milton, and the couple had two daughters together. They lived in Charlotte, North Carolina, for most of their marriage. Their relationship began to deteriorate, leading to their separation in March 1981 after nine years of marriage. During this time, Susan left with their children and moved to California to be near her family.

After the separation, Noland struggled with feelings of depression and anger. He was unhappy about his wife leaving him and taking their daughters away. He tried to contact Susan frequently, sometimes asking her to return to Charlotte. However, Susan did not want to move back, and their communication became tense.

Noland began to express aggressive thoughts toward Susan's family, believing they were responsible for the breakdown of his marriage. He made threats towards them, claiming that if Susan didn’t return with their children, he would take drastic actions. These threats escalated over time, leading to events that would change his life forever.

Noland had also been evaluated for mental health issues during this period. A psychiatrist noted that he was mentally ill and deemed him dangerous, which prompted his commitment to a state hospital for treatment. 

His troubles did not stop there. Noland's feelings of despair and rage grew stronger. He felt increasingly isolated and blamed his problems on his in-laws. This situation left a significant mark on his mental state, ultimately leading to tragic consequences in 1982.

Murder Story

On February 21, 1982, John Thomas Noland Jr. committed a double murder in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He targeted his estranged wife's family, specifically her sister, Cindy Milton, and father, Troy Milton. Noland first entered Cindy's house and shot her in the head as she watched television with friends. After killing her, he walked across the street to Troy Milton's home, where he shot Troy in his sleep.

Cindy's mother, Mary Milton, was also present in the home. Noland aimed to kill her as well but she survived after being shot. Following the shootings, police quickly located Noland within an hour. He was arrested the same day and later charged with the murders.

A jury convicted Noland of first-degree murder, and in October 1982, he received a death sentence. Noland stated that he was suffering from depression at the time, blaming his in-laws for his wife leaving him and taking their children away. Over the years, Noland's case went through multiple appeals, but all efforts to overturn his sentence were unsuccessful.

Noland was executed by lethal injection on November 20, 1998, at the age of 50. He made a final statement expressing sorrow for causing pain to others and thanked those who showed him love during his time on death row.