Jeffrey Muehleman was sentenced to death by the State of Florida for the murder and robbery of ninety seven year old Earl Baughman. According to court documents Jeffrey Muehleman was working for Earl Baughman when he decided to rob and murder the elderly man. Earl Baughman would die from suffocation after plastic was shoved down his throat. Jeffrey Muehlman was arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
Jeffrey Muehleman 2021 Information
| DC Number: | 094506 |
|---|---|
| Name: | MUEHLEMAN, JEFFREY A |
| Race: | WHITE |
| Sex: | MALE |
| Birth Date: | 10/31/1964 |
| Initial Receipt Date: | 07/17/1984 |
| Current Facility: | UNION C.I. |
| Current Custody: | MAXIMUM |
| Current Release Date: | DEATH SENTENCE |
Jeffrey Muehleman More News
Earl Baughman, the 97-year-old victim, hired Muehleman as a helper on May 2, 1983. Muehleman posed himself as Jeff Williams. By the afternoon of May 4, 1983, Muehleman had made a decision to rob and murder the victim. He asked an acquaintance for help with the robbery and in disposing of the body. On the evening of May 4, 1983, when this acquaintance did not show up, Muehleman decided to go through with the crime himself. He set the kitchen table with two almost empty coffee cups and spread breadcrumbs on the table. These actions were an attempt to create the illusion that the two had eaten breakfast and then gone out for a ride in the victim’s car. Muehleman then proceeded to wipe down the residence to eliminate his fingerprints. Muehleman used a cast iron frying pan to repeatedly hit the victim, who was asleep in his bed. These blows did not kill the victim, so Muehleman attempted to strangle the victim, but Muehleman was unable to restrict the blood flow to the brain. The victim lay in his bed helpless and looking at Muehleman in the face and was conscious long enough to beg his attacker for mercy. Muehleman then removed the plastic wrappers from two newspapers and shoved them into the victim’s throat. The bags indicated that the victim was still breathing so Muehleman forced them deeper into the victim’s throat.
The victim eventually died. Muehleman then stole $150 and other items from the victim. He wrapped his body in the bloody bedcovers and put it in the trunk of the victim’s car. Muehleman returned to the garage where he was living and hid the cash and other items that he had stolen. He then returned to the victim’s residence and burned, some of the bloody linens along with the victim’s identification in a barrel in the back yard. He then wiped down the car to rid it of fingerprints and drove it to a nearby apartment complex where he abandoned it. Suspicion surrounded the victim’s disappearance because he did not drive. On May 6, 1983, a witness told police that he had seen the car that had been described in a broadcast in front of the garage where Muehleman lived. A police officer went to the garage to question Muehleman; he was told that Muehleman was not home but would return shortly. Upon leaving the garage, the police officer spotted Muehleman who saw the police car and proceeded to cover his face.
The officer grabbed him by the arm and inquired about his name; Muehleman responded with “Ed Buchanan”. The witness’s identification of Muehleman as Jeff, resulted in Muehleman being arrested on obstruction of justice charges due to providing false information to the officer. Muehleman agreed to talk to the police and denied any involvement in the victim’s disappearance. He did indicate that he had taken some items without the victim’s permission.
On May 9, 1983, Muehleman invoked his right to remain silent. On May 15, 1983, the body was found in the trunk of the car. Muehleman still proclaimed his innocence to authorities, but had approached a fellow inmate, Ronald Rewis, and began discussing the murder. Rewis agreed to work with the authorities and taped conversations that he had with Muehleman. On June 8, 1983, Muehleman requested an interview with the authorities at which time he was informed of the evidence against him and he confessed. He was booked on first-degree murder on the same day. On June 10, 1983 he gave his final statement. Subsequently, Muehleman moved to suppress these statements and the physical evidence. The motion was denied, and Muehleman pled guilty.
Muehleman was re-sentenced to death in Pinellas County on October 10, 2003.