Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Barn of Horrors’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Homicide Hunter: American Detective,’ the focus is on the gruesome killing of a young college student named Sierah Joughin in Delta, Ohio, and the intense investigation that ensued. When the investigators discovered numerous pieces of evidence at the crime scene, they connected James Dean Worley to the murder. Despite his claims of innocence for years, he was brought to justice.
James Dean Worley Had Prior Convictions Before Killing Sierah Joughlin
Born on April 8, 1959, in Tacoma, Washington, the Evergreen High School graduate, James Dean Worley, worked as a farmer in Delta, Ohio, and a grounds crew member for various county fairs. Growing up in a troubled and abusive household seemingly contributed to his turning to drugs at an early age. His first major run-in with the law came in July 1990, when he tried to abduct Robin Gardner in Whitehouse, Ohio, while she was riding her bike. He reportedly struck her with his truck and handcuffed her before threatening to kill her. She somehow managed to escape him, eventually leading to his arrest.
For the crime, James was convicted and sentenced to four to ten years in prison. After serving three years behind bars, he was released early after he petitioned for an early release. However, in 2000, he was found guilty of not only cultivating marijuana plants but also possessing weapons while on disability. A couple of years later, he petitioned yet again and was released in 2002. For several years, he reportedly stayed away from trouble as he focused on his career as a trailer transporter. In the summer of 2016, James returned to his old ways at the expense of a University of Toledo student named Sierah Joughin.
The Police Found Evidence to Tie James Dean Worley With the Murder of Sierah Joughin
On the evening of July 19, 2016, Sierah was riding back home on her bicycle in rural Fulton County when James Dean Worley came across her. He reportedly asphyxiated her to death and buried her remains in a cornfield about 12 miles away from where he used to reside. Upon searching for the missing woman and following every possible lead they could, the investigators finally located her remains in the shallow grave three days later, on July 22. They also found her bike, two pairs of sunglasses, a screwdriver, a motorcycle helmet covered in blood, and evidence of a struggle.
While the authorities sent the bloody helmet and sunglasses for DNA tests, which came out to be a match for the killer, they came across James’ house. When he was questioned, he claimed that his motorcycle had broken down in the same location a few days earlier and had lost his screwdriver, sunglasses, fuses, and helmet. The detectives also noticed a few marks on his arms and bruising on his lower legs, while he claimed that he hadn’t killed anyone or stolen anything. Finding him suspicious, the police searched his property and reportedly found a crate filled with various pairs of female underwear and a blood-stained freezer buried in the ground.
Moreover, they found other suspicious items, including Sierah’s blood on his motorcycle, zip ties, mace, zip ties, duct tape with DNA from both him and Sierah, journals, a “nanny cam,, and maps. In his defense, he claimed that he bought those items to start his pornography business. What helped the police pin him as the killer was the fact that even cell phone details placed James at the scene of the crime for two hours during the time she disappeared. In light of all these incriminating pieces of evidence, the 57-year-old man was arrested on the same day and charged with aggravated murder and abduction.
James Dean Worley is Awaiting His Execution at an Ohio Prison Facility
Nearly a month later, on August 16, James Dean Worley was officially indicted on nineteen counts, including aggravated murder, tampering with evidence, felonious assault, kidnapping, abuse of a corpse, and abduction, and held behind bars without bail. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and his trial finally commenced in March 2018, after a couple of delays in September 2017 and January 2018. During the trial, the prosecution presented the DNA evidence discovered at his place of residence and the crime scene. On the other hand, the defense argued that the suspicious items found in the defendant’s barn were part of a pornographic venture that he was going to start. James claimed that his motorcycle had broken down on the crime scene before the disappearance, and that was when his helmet and other possessions got left behind.
He also denied ever meeting Sierah Joughin and maintained his innocence. After the closing arguments from the prosecution and defense on March 26, 2018, the jury deliberated for less than six hours and returned with the final verdict the following day. James Dean Worley was convicted of a total of 17 of the original 19 charges, including aggravated murder. While the prosecution pushed for the death sentence, the defense argued for a life sentence, claiming that the convict had several mental health issues, including Sexual Paraphilia Disorder. On April 16, 2018, the killer’s sentencing hearing took place. Before his sentencing, he took the stand and claimed that someone else was the perpetrator and he had been framed for the crime.
Ultimately, he was sentenced to capital punishment, in addition to 11 years in prison for kidnapping, eight years for felonious assault, 11 months for possessing criminal tools, and 36 months each for tampering with evidence and having weapons under disability. Ever since his death sentence, his execution has been postponed a couple of times due to appeals. In July 2020, the defense counsel of James requested to grant him a new trial and overturn his conviction, claiming that the jurors were acquainted with the killer and the Joughlin family, making it an unfair trial. They also argued that the prosecution failed to prove various aspects of the charges against James. The court denied the appeal and upheld the conviction, setting the new execution date for May 20, 2025. Currently, he is held at Ross Correctional Institution in Chillicothe, Ohio, where he is awaiting his execution.
