Bio

Jonathan Bruce Reed was born on October 19, 1951. He grew up in Dallas County, Texas. His background includes being a white male in a typical American family during his childhood years.

There are no widely available records of his education or interests during his formative years. As he grew older, he became an adult living in the Dallas area. By the time he reached his twenties, he was involved in serious criminal activities.

On November 1, 1978, Reed was tied to a violent incident that left a lasting impact on the community. However, details about his life before this event remain mostly unclear, with little information available about his family or lifestyle.

Throughout the years, Reed’s case went through various legal challenges. He faced significant time in the criminal justice system after his conviction. Most notably, he was sentenced to death in September 1979 and remained on death row for nearly 30 years.

His long time in prison led to legal appeals related to his trial. In 2009, a court ruling stated that there were issues with how the jury was selected for his trial. This legal situation reflected broader issues about race and jury selection in the judicial system.

Murder Story

On November 1, 1978, Jonathan Bruce Reed attacked Wanda Jean Wadle and her roommate, Kimberly Pursley, in their apartment in Dallas County, Texas. Reed entered the apartment by pretending to be a maintenance man. Once inside, he assaulted both women. Wanda was killed, and Kimberly survived by pretending to be unconscious during the attack.

After the incident, witnesses identified Reed as the man seen in the apartment complex shortly before the attack occurred. This identification led to his arrest. Reed was charged with the murder of Wanda Jean Wadle. In September 1979, he was convicted and sentenced to death.

For nearly 30 years, Reed remained on death row. In 2009, the United States Court of Appeals ruled that his trial was unfair due to the exclusion of black jurors. This ruling indicated that Reed could be released unless the prosecution decided to retry him quickly. Reed’s conviction has since been a point of legal discussion, highlighting issues of racial bias in jury selection.