NJ James Koedatich - NJ Serial Killer

[Kell1]

James Jerold Koedatich (born June 12, 1948) is an American serial killer, serving a sentence of life imprisonment in New Jersey for the murders of two women committed in that state in 1982. He had previously been tried and convicted of the murder of his roommate in 1971 in Florida, but he was paroled for that crime.[2][3]

First murder and imprisonment[edit]
In 1971, Koedatich was living in Dade County, Florida. On June 13, Koedatich killed his roommate, 40-year-old Robert Anderson. He was quickly arrested and later convicted, serving his sentence of 15 years imprisonment at Raiford State Prison in Raiford. Sometime while in prison, he was accused of killing a fellow inmate, but it was ruled as self defense, thus Koedatich was not charged.[4] In 1982, having spent eleven years in prison, The Florida Parole Board granted Koedatich parole, and in August he was officially released from prison.[2] After his release he moved to Morristown, New Jersey.[5]


New Jersey murders[edit]
Amy Hoffman[edit]
On November 23, 1982 Koedatich came across 18-year-old Amy Hoffman. Hoffman, a cheerleader for Parsippany Hills High School, was leaving her job at a mall in Hanover Township, when Koedatich kidnapped her into his vehicle.[5][6] Once in a secluded location, he sexually assaulted Hoffman before stabbing her to death, then disposing of her body in the Mendham Reservoir in Randolph Township. Her body was transported by the naturally moving water into a water holding tank, where it would be found two days later. During the subsequent autopsy, semen belonging to Hoffman's killer was located in her body.[6] There were eyewitnesses who were found in the investigation, and they gave a description of the vehicle that the suspect drove. Police also located tire tracks the killer's car left behind.[7]

Deirdre O'Brian[edit]
On December 5, 1982, Koedatich abducted another woman, this time 25-year-old Deirdre O'Brian at knife point after running her off the road after a small chase. Once at an Interstate 80 rest area, he raped, and stabbed her to death.[4] He later disposed of her body in a rural area.

Arrest[edit]
In January 1983, Koedatich brought himself into the investigators attention by claiming he was stabbed by a male individual while driving alone at night.[6] As part of regular police procedure, they seized to question him about the attack, at this point realizing there was likely a serial killer active in New Jersey, thinking that Koedatich was a surviving victim. Detectives soon noticed Koedatich's car matched the description of the car seen abducting Hoffman, as well as his tire's corresponding with tire tracks found at the scene. At first thinking it might just be a coincidence, they inspected Koedatich's wounds, but in a turn of events, it was found that the wounds were self-inflicted.[6][7] They also found out his original conviction for the 1971 killing of his roommate. Koedatich, now a suspect, claimed that he was driving around the area Hoffman was abducted in the night of her murder, but a few days later on May 12, he was arrested by authorities, and charged with two counts of first degree murder.

Trials and imprisonment[edit]
Both trials for Koedatich ended in guilty verdicts, despite his claims of innocence. He was sentenced to death, and resided on New Jersey's death row. However in 1990, Koedatich's case was brought forward by the Supreme Court, which overturned his original sentence, and he was resentenced to life imprisonment.[3][8] In 2011, Koedatich contacted the heads of the State's Department of Corrections, requesting to be moved to a prison in Illinois to be closer to his family, however Commissioner Gary Lanigan rejected the proposal. In 2017, Koedatich communicated with the Innocence Project, requesting with discovery of new DNA evidence could be used to clear his name.[6] In the meantime, Koedatich remains in a New Jersey prison, with the latest parole date set for 2038, when he would be 90 years old.[3]

In media[edit]
Koedatich's crimes are featured in the episode "Fatal Error" on the television show The New Detectives.

 

[JrzyGirl70]

Adding:


Deirdre O'Brien was run off the road and abducted only a few miles from her home on a dark, twisty road. She was actually still alive when Koedatich dumped her at the rest area at Exit 19 on Route 80 (Allamuchy), where she proceeded to bang on truck drivers door for help, unfortunately succumbing to her injuries in his arms.

After Deirdre's murder her father became a Freeholder in Morris County and served as a victim's advocate until his death. "Deirdre's House" a child advocacy center was opened in her memory.

There is a very good case summary here:
State v. Koedatich

There were several times I was in the Courthouse while he was there and it was truly bone chilling

 

[MajorHoople]

@Kell1 and @JrzyGirl70

Thank you for posting this. "Fatal Error" is a good episode. It's now available online and here it is:

Fatal Error | FULL EPISODE | The New Detectives

Jan 2, 2021