Bio

Lamont Claxton Underwood, also known as "L.C.," was born in 1951. He grew up in Salisbury, North Carolina. There are not many details available about his early childhood or family life. He later became a policeman in Salisbury, where he served for a period of time.

During his time as a police officer, Underwood was known in his community. He had a reputation as someone who was dedicated to his job. However, as he moved forward in life, personal issues began to surface. He became involved in relationships that would later have significant impacts on his life.

Underwood was engaged to a woman named Kay Weden. Their relationship ended, and she began dating a man named Viktor Gunnarsson. Underwood's jealousy towards Gunnarsson grew, and this feeling influenced Underwood's actions in later years. It seems that his emotional state began to shift, and he developed feelings of rivalry.

Murder Story

On January 7, 1994, Viktor Gunnarsson's body was discovered in a wooded area near the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. He had been shot in the head and neck. Gunnarsson was a 40-year-old Swedish citizen who had previously faced accusations related to the assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme in 1986, but he had been cleared of those charges.

Prosecutions claimed that Lamont Claxton Underwood, known as "L.C.," was motivated by jealousy. He was upset that Gunnarsson was dating Kay Weden, Underwood's former fiancée. Prosecutors argued that Underwood stalked and harassed Weden and eventually kidnapped Gunnarsson from his home. They contended that he took Gunnarsson to a remote area before shooting him.

Three days later, on January 10, 1994, a second victim was found. Catherine Miller, Weden's elderly mother, was shot and killed in her home. The state claimed that Underwood was responsible for her murder too, but he was never tried for this crime.

Underwood was convicted of Gunnarsson's murder in 1997 and sentenced to life in prison plus 40 years. However, in December 2009, a federal court vacated his murder conviction due to ineffective counsel. The court indicated that the defense had mishandled significant issues during the trial, leading to a lack of proper representation for Underwood. He was ordered to receive a new trial or to be released from prison within 180 days.

The case received international attention due to Gunnarsson's past and drew considerable media coverage, including features on crime shows and documentaries.