Bio

Micah Louis Nelson was born on November 29, 1975 in Polk County, Florida.

Murder Story

In the early hours of November 16, 1997, Micah Louis Nelson broke into the home of 78-year-old Virginia Brace in Polk County, Florida. He entered through a bathroom window while Brace was asleep in her bedroom. When Brace woke up and screamed, a struggle began between her and Nelson. During this time, Nelson assaulted Brace and forced her into the trunk of her car.

After a few hours of driving around, Nelson's car became stuck in an orange grove. While an equipment operator was helping to pull the car out of the sand, Nelson acted nervously. When the operator heard noises coming from the trunk, Nelson claimed it was a dog and turned up the car radio. Once the car was freed, he drove to another orange grove, where he let Brace out of the trunk. In the grove, he attempted to strangle her. When that didn’t work, he used a fire extinguisher and a tire iron to kill her.

Later that day, a neighbor noticed Brace's car parked near her home and called the police after it remained there for some time. When the deputy arrived, he found Nelson sleeping in the back seat. Nelson acted suspiciously and claimed he had borrowed the car from a friend. The deputy noticed an insurance card belonging to Brace inside the vehicle, which raised further suspicion.

After learning more about the situation, law enforcement questioned Nelson multiple times over the next few days. During the final interrogation, Nelson confessed to the crime and led the police to the location of Brace's body. A medical examination confirmed the details from Nelson’s confession and found evidence like fingerprints and DNA that linked him to the murder.

Nelson was charged with various offenses, including first-degree murder, kidnapping, and burglary. In December 1999, a jury found him guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to death for the murder on March 17, 2000. Following his sentencing, Nelson attempted to appeal but was denied at several levels, including the Florida Supreme Court and subsequently the United States Supreme Court.