DC# 200754
DOB:  05/20/72

First Judicial Circuit, Escambia County Case# 93-3302
Sentencing Judge:  The Honorable Joseph Q. Tarbuck
Attorneys, Trial:  T. Stitt & R. Davis – Assistant Public Defenders
Attorney, Trial (Resentencing):  Glenn Arnold – Private
Attorney, Direct Appeal: Chet Kaufman – Assistant Public Defender
Attorney, Direct Appeals (Resentencing):  Chet Kaufman – Assistant Public Defender
Attorney, Collateral Appeals:  Michael Reiter – Registry

Date of Offense: 07/11/93

Date of Sentence: 10/7/94

Date of Resentencing: 07/07/99

Circumstances of Offense:

Kormondy was convicted of the murder of Gary McAdams, which occurred on 07/11/93.

In the early morning hours of 07/11/93, the victims, Gary McAdams and his wife Cecilia McAdams, had returned from a high school reunion. They heard a knock at their door.

When Mr. McAdams opened the door, Curtis Buffkin was on the other side holding a gun. Buffkin forced his way into the house and ordered the McAdams to get down on the kitchen floor and keep their heads down.

James Hazen and Johnny Kormondy then entered the house. Both Kormondy and Hazen had socks on their hands. After the three men took personal valuables from the McAdams, the phones were disconnected from the wall and the blinds were closed.

At this point, one of the men took Mrs. McAdams to a bedroom in the back and forced her at gunpoint to remove her dress and to perform oral sex on him.

One of the other men, described as having sandy-colored hair that hung down to his collar bone, entered the room and proceeded to rape Mrs. McAdams while the first man forced her to perform oral sex on him again.

After she was taken to the kitchen, naked, and placed with her husband, one of the men took her back to the bedroom and raped her again. While he was raping her, a gunshot was fired in the front of the house.

Mrs. McAdams heard one of the men yell for “Bubba” or “Buff”, and the man raping her stopped and ran to the front of the house. Mrs. McAdams left the bedroom and was walking towards the front of the house when she heard a gunshot from the bedroom. When she entered the kitchen, she saw Mr. McAdams on the floor with blood coming from the back of his head.

After the murder, Kormondy’s wife asked him to leave the family home. Kormondy left and moved in with Willie Long. Kormondy confessed to Long about the murder and admitted that he had shot Mr. McAdams but, explained it had gone off accidentally. Long went to the police because of the $50,000 reward for information.

During the trial, the medical examiner testified that Mr. McAdams’ death was caused by a contact gunshot wound, meaning the barrel of the gun was pressed to Mr. McAdams’ head.

Codefendant Information:

Curtis Buffkin (DC# 103884)

Buffkin was sentenced to life for his participation in the offense that occurred on 07/11/93 (CC# 93-3302).

James Hazen (DC# 391126)

Hazen was sentenced to life for his participation in the offense that occurred on 07/11/93 (CC# 93-3302).

Additional Information:

Kormondy, Hazen, and Buffkin were indicted on 07/27/93 and tried separately. Buffkin was offered a plea bargain by the State in return for assistance in the prosecution of Hazen and Kormondy.

The trial records are inconsistent as to the location of Hazen and Buffkin at the time of Mr. McAdams shooting. During Kormondy’s trial, Mrs. McAdams testified that Buffkin was with her in the bedroom when the shot was fired.

In testimony given by Officer Hall, Kormondy told him in an unrecorded statement that Buffkin fired the fatal shot and that Hazen was in the bedroom with Mrs. McAdams. In a confession recorded for the jury, Kormondy stated again that it was Buffkin who fired the fatal shot.

During Hazen’s trial, Buffkin testified that Kormondy fired the fatal shot, and that Hazen was in the bedroom with Mrs. McAdams. Hazen testified that he was not present at the scene when the crimes occurred.
 

Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida: 

Trial Summary: