The Commission on Capital Cases updates this information regularly. This information, however, is subject to change and may not reflect the latest status of an inmate’s case and should not be relied upon for statistical or legal purposes.

MUEHLEMAN, Jeffrey Allen (W/M)

DC#    094506

DOB:  10/31/64

Sixth Judicial Circuit, Pinellas County, Case# 83-4924

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Crockett Farnell

Trial Attorneys: Robert McMillan and Stephen Everhart – Assistant Public Defenders

Attorney, Direct Appeal: Robert F. Moeller – Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: John E. Swisher – Private

Attorney, Direct Appeal, Resentencing: Charles E. Lykes – Private

Attorney, Collateral Appeals, Resentencing: Bill Jennings – CCRC-M

Date of Offense: 05/05/83

Date of Sentence: 06/08/84

Date of Resentence: 10/10/03

Circumstances of the Offense:

Earl Baughman, the 97-year-old victim, hired Muehleman as a helper on 05/02/83. Muehleman posed himself as Jeff Williams. By the afternoon of 05/04/83, 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 05/04/83, 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 05/06/83, 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 05/09/83, Muehleman invoked his right to remain silent. On 05/15/83, 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 06/08/83, 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 06/10/83 he gave his final statement. Subsequently, Muehleman moved to suppress these statements and the physical evidence. The motion was denied, and Muehleman pled guilty.

Trial Summary:

06/28/83          Defendant was indicted as follows:

                                    Count I:           First-Degree Murder (Earl Baughman)

07/18/83          Entered a written plea of not guilty

08/16/83          Entered a plea of not guilty

05/01/84          Withdrew plea of not guilty and entered a plea of guilty

06/06/84          Jury recommended a sentence of death by a vote of 10-2

06/08/84          Defendant was sentenced as follows:

                                    Count I:           First Degree Murder (Earl Baughman) – Death

06/23/03          Jury recommended a sentence of death by a vote of 10-2

10/10/03          Resentenced to death

Appeal Summary:

Florida State Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 65,546

503 So. 2d 310

07/09/84          Appeal filed

01/08/87          FSC affirmed conviction and death sentence

03/27/87          Rehearing denied

05/21/87          Mandate issued

United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC# 86,706

484 U.S. 882

05/21/87          Petition filed

10/05/87          USSC denied petition

State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 83-4924

05/31/89          Motion filed

01/28/92          Motion denied

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Habeas Corpus

FSC# 74,270

623 So. 2d 480

06/06/89          Petition filed

08/05/93          FSC remanded to the Circuit Court for amended 3.850 Motion

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal

FSC# 79,816

623 So. 2d 480

05/08/92          Appeal filed.

08/05/93          FSC remanded to the Circuit Court for amended 3.850 Motion.

State Circuit Court – 3.850 motion (Remanded from Florida Supreme Court)

CC# 83-4924

08/05/93          Remanded from FSC.

02/22/01          Order allowing Muehleman to file an Amended 3.850 motion 60 days from this date based solely on newly discovered facts or information derived from released records.

05/02/01          Order returning jurisdiction to the Florida Supreme Court.

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal

FSC# 79,816

623 So. 2d 480

05/02/01          Order returning jurisdiction to FSC.

09/17/02          FSC reversed trial court’s denial of 3.850 motion and remanded case back to trial court for a new penalty phase.

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Habeas Corpus

FSC# 74,270

623 So. 2d 480

05/02/01          Order returning jurisdiction to FSC.

09/17/02          FSC dismissed as moot.

Florida Supreme Court – Appeal for Resentencing

FSC# 05-353

03/02/05          Appeal filed.

02/19/09          Sentence affirmed.

03/12/09          Mandate issued.

Death Warrants:

05/01/89          Death Warrant Signed by Governor Bob Martinez

06/30/89          Sixth Judicial Circuit Court, Pinellas County, granted a Stay of Execution

Clemency Hearing:

02/10/88          Clemency hearing denied

Factors Contributing to the Delay in the Imposition of the Sentence:

The main delay in this case is the 3.850 appeal which has been pending in the Florida Supreme Court since 1992. This delay is due to problems with public records issues. In addition to this delay, the Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus was pending for four years in the Florida Supreme Court before it was remanded back to the trial court as well.

Case Information:

Muehleman filed his direct appeal on 07/09/84 to the Florida Supreme Court. The main issues of this appeal were that Muehleman’s Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth amendment rights had been violated. The Court found no violations of Muehleman’s rights and affirmed his conviction and sentence on 01/08/87.

Muehleman then filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court on 05/21/87. The petition was denied on 10/05/87.

Governor Bob Martinez signed a death warrant for Muehleman on 05/01/89. During this time, Muehleman filed a 3.850 motion with the circuit court. The circuit court granted a stay of execution on 06/30/89 but denied the 3.850 Motion on 01/28/92. Muehleman had previously filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus on 06/06/89. Muehleman then filed a 3.850 appeal to the Florida Supreme Court. These two cases were both remanded to the circuit court due to the fact that the trial court denied Muehleman’s 3.850 Motion while simultaneously granting his public records request. Therefore, the Court relinquished jurisdiction of the case to the trial court and granted him thirty days from the date that he received the requested records to file an amended 3.850 motion. On 04/18/01, Muehleman filed a motion pro se to relinquish jurisdiction to the Court. An order was issued on 05/02/01 returning jurisdiction to the Court.

On 09/17/02, the Florida Supreme Court remanded the case to the Circuit Court for a new penalty-phase.

On 03/02/05, Muehleman filed an appeal for resentencing to the Florida Supreme Court. On 02/19/09, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the sentence of death.  On 03/12/09, the Florida Supreme Court issued a mandate in accordance with the opinion rendered on 02/19/09.

________________________________________________________________________

Report Date:   10/07/01          NMP

Approved:       10/15/01          WS

Updated:         03/13/09          AEH