Bio

Terry Melvin Sims was born on February 5, 1942. Growing up, he lived in a family that faced many challenges. Details about his early childhood and family life are not widely known, which makes it hard to paint a complete picture of his upbringing. However, what is clear is that he faced difficulties that shaped his life path.

As an adult, Sims became involved in illegal activities. By 1977, he found himself in Seminole County, Florida, which is where a significant event in his life would occur. On December 29, 1977, Sims was involved in a robbery at a pharmacy. During this robbery, he encountered George Pfeil, an off-duty police officer. This event would lead to a tragic turn in his life.

In June 1978, Sims was arrested in California following an attempted robbery. His arrest would ultimately lead to his conviction for the murder of George Pfeil. He maintained his innocence throughout the legal process.

After years of legal battles, Sims was sentenced to death and ultimately executed by lethal injection on February 23, 2000. 

Murder Story

On December 29, 1977, Terry Melvin Sims and Curtis Baldree committed an armed robbery at the Longwood Village Pharmacy in Seminole County, Florida. During this robbery, George Pfeil, a 55-year-old off-duty deputy sheriff, entered the store to pick up a prescription. Sims noticed Pfeil's police uniform and opened fire on him. Pfeil responded by shooting back, hitting Sims in the hip. However, Sims shot Pfeil twice, and Pfeil later succumbed to his injuries.

After the robbery, Sims and Baldree fled the scene with their accomplices, B.B. Halsell and Clarence Robinson, who were waiting in a getaway car. Sims was not apprehended until June 25, 1978, after an attempted armed robbery in California, where he was arrested and later extradited to Florida. During his trial in 1979, Baldree and Halsell testified against Sims, claiming he bragged about killing a police officer.

The court convicted Sims of first-degree murder and robbery, sentencing him to death. Over the years, Sims made numerous appeals and petitions claiming various legal violations regarding his trial and conviction, but these were denied by the courts.

Sims was executed by lethal injection on February 23, 2000, marking a historical change in Florida's execution method, as it was the state's first execution by this method following a shift from electrocution. Despite his appeals, which continued until the last moments before his execution, Sims maintained his innocence up until his death.