Offender Record · OFF-2026-192
James Edward Wood (photo from the Radford University biography)
James Edward Wood
Also known as James Godwin
Sex
Male
Race
White
Height
5'9"
Weight
160–180 lbs
Hair
Brown
Born
1947
Custody
Deceased
States
LA, ID, CO, TX
Distinguishing featuresFit build, unremarkable appearance; severe injury to left hand with loss of function in three fingers (from 1990 power saw accident)
Custody
Deceased at Idaho Maximum Security Institution
Custody record at the facility
Died February 1, 2004, from heart attack and lung complications while incarcerated on death row; autopsy confirmed natural causes
This record documents arrests, charges and convictions reported by courts, law enforcement agencies and news organizations. Every statement is tied to a cited source with an archived copy. A charge is an accusation, not proof of guilt; a person charged is presumed innocent unless convicted. Where a record says named by police, no charge was ever filed: the record rests on a law enforcement agency's public identification of the deceased person, cited below. Not guilty by reason of insanity means the court found the act proven but the person not criminally responsible. Solve the Case does not allege that this person committed any offense beyond what the cited records state, and this record is not a suggestion that the person is connected to any unsolved case. How records are built, corrected and removed.
Summary of the record
James Edward Wood was born December 9, 1947, and was convicted of first-degree murder for the June 29, 1993, kidnapping, rape, and murder of an 11-year-old newspaper carrier, Jeralee Underwood, in Pocatello, Idaho. Wood pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, and two counts of rape on January 14, 1994, and was sentenced to death by lethal injection. He died at Idaho Maximum Security Institution on February 1, 2004, from natural causes while on death row.
Documented Arrests, Charges and Convictions
Dispositions are shown exactly as the cited records report them. Pending charges are updated when a court acts; a record with no remaining conviction or pending charge is removed from the site.
Offense date Oct 25, 1992, Near St. Louis, Missouri
Kidnapping and attempted rape
St. Louis area law enforcement · Unknown · Sentence: No separate sentence (concurrent); victim survived and testified at Jeralee Underwood sentencing
Wood abducted an 18-year-old from a service station near her home in suburban St. Louis, drove her to a wooded area, and shot her in the head; she survived despite the gunshot wound and testified at Wood's sentencing hearing.
SourcesInvestigator has eerie view into killer's mind; James Edward Wood
Offense date Nov 28, 1992, Pocatello, Idaho
Rape and attempted murder
Pocatello Police Department, Idaho · Sixth District Court, Bannock County, Idaho · Sentence: No separate sentence; victim survived; charges addressed in Jeralee Underwood sentencing proceedings
Wood abducted a 15-year-old from a Pizza Hut parking lot in Pocatello, drove her to the outskirts, and raped her while her 2-year-old sister sat in the vehicle. He attempted to shoot her but the gun jammed; he released her alive rather than search for the jammed shell in deep snow.
SourcesInvestigator has eerie view into killer's mind; James Edward Wood; Radford University serial killer biography: Wood, James Edward
Offense date Jun 29, 1993, Pocatello, Idaho
First-degree murder
Pocatello Police Department, Idaho · Sixth District Court, Bannock County, Idaho · Docket 21057 · Idaho Code § 18-4003 · Arrested Jul 06, 1993 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Death by lethal injection
Jeralee Underwood was collecting payments on her newspaper route in Pocatello when Wood lured her into his vehicle using false pretenses and forced her at gunpoint. He held her captive for over 24 hours, sexually assaulted her, and shot her in the head with a .22 caliber handgun near Idaho Falls. Wood later dismembered her body and threw the remains into the Snake River.
SourcesSTATE v. WOOD (1998); Local girl remembered 23 years after one of Idaho's most horrific crimes; The Truth About Murderer James Wood's Childhood
Offense date Jun 29, 1993, Pocatello, Idaho
Rape (two counts)
Pocatello Police Department, Idaho · Sixth District Court, Bannock County, Idaho · Docket 21057 · Idaho Code § 18-6101 · Arrested Jul 06, 1993 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Concurrent with murder sentence
Wood sexually assaulted the 11-year-old victim during the period he held her captive before murdering her and disposing of her body in the Snake River.
SourcesThe Truth About Murderer James Wood's Childhood; STATE v. WOOD (1998)
Offense date Jun 29, 1993, Pocatello, Idaho
First-degree kidnapping
Pocatello Police Department, Idaho · Sixth District Court, Bannock County, Idaho · Docket 21057 · Idaho Code § 18-4502 · Arrested Jul 06, 1993 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Concurrent with murder sentence
Wood forced an 11-year-old child into his vehicle at gunpoint using deception on her newspaper route and held her captive for over 24 hours before killing her.
SourcesSTATE v. WOOD (1998); Local girl remembered 23 years after one of Idaho's most horrific crimes
Pattern and Background
Victim counts and the pattern of the offenses as stated by courts, agencies and the cited reporting. Suspected counts are what officials have said publicly, not a finding of this site.
1
Victims convicted
2
Victims confessed
30
Victims suspected
Active years
1969–1993
Victim profile
Children, Teenagers, Young women, Strangers
Stated motive
Sexual
Range from home
interstate
Confessed
Yes
Cooperated with investigators
Yes
Education
some high school
Marital history
Married, Divorced
Children
3
Died
2004-02-01 · natural
Agencies
Law enforcement, prosecutors and corrections agencies the records show dealing with this person. An investigator working a case with a possible connection can start here.
Idaho Supreme Court · ID
Upheld death sentence in 1997; automatic appeals review
Source: Spokesman-Review, Supreme Court of Idaho
Idaho Maximum Security Institution · ID
Held Wood on death row; died there February 1, 2004
Source: Deseret News
Pocatello Police Department · ID
Officer Scott Shaw arrested Wood on July 7, 1993 for Jeralee Underwood murder
Source: Wikipedia, Spokesman-Review
St. Louis area law enforcement · MO
Investigated 1992 kidnapping and attempted rape of Jamie Masengill
Source: Wikipedia
Grand Cane Police Department · LA
Investigated rape complaint filed by relative at photo lab; Wood fled Louisiana
Source: Wikipedia
Federal Bureau of Investigation · ID
Forensics team assisted with Underwood murder investigation
Source: Deseret News
Investigated 1976 murder confession of Shirley Coleman; remains found 1981
Source: Wikipedia
6th District Court · ID
Judge Lynn Winmill presided; sentenced Wood to death January 14, 1994
Source: Supreme Court of Idaho, Wikipedia
Bannock County Prosecutor's Office · ID
Mark Hiedeman prosecuted; sought death penalty for Underwood murder
Source: Spokesman-Review, East Idaho News
Bannock County Jail · ID
Held Wood pending trial and conviction
Source: Spokesman-Review
Places Lived, Worked and Frequented
Each place and date range comes from a cited record. Dates marked approximate are as reported. Know a place that is missing? Use Edit record under the photo; a moderator reviews it before it appears.
CO
Denver, Colorado
approx. Oct 1992 – Oct 1992 · Robbed a Pizza Hut in October 1992
ID
Pocatello, Idaho
approx. 1949 – 1955 · Moved with mother Hazel Godwin after father incarcerated; mother remarried
Pocatello, Idaho
approx. 1952 – 1955 · Attended elementary school; mother died in potato processing plant fire in 1955 when he was in school nearby
Saint Anthony, Idaho
approx. 1961 – 1964 · St. Anthony's Youth Correction Center (multiple stays totaling approximately 3 years)
Pocatello, Idaho
approx. Nov 1992 – Jun 1993 · Worked as dishwasher at Tina's Ox Bow Restaurant; also sold paintings on old handsaws
Chubbuck, Idaho
Nov 01, 1992 – Jun 1993 · Arrived in Idaho and moved in with cousin Dave Haggard; stayed in Chubbuck/Pocatello area
Pocatello, Idaho
Jul 06, 1993 – Jan 14, 1994 · Held pending trial and sentencing
Pocatello, Idaho
Jul 06, 1993 – Jul 06, 1993 · Arrested for kidnapping and murder of Jeralee Underwood
Kuna, Idaho
Jan 14, 1994 – Feb 01, 2004 · Idaho Maximum Security Institution · Death row incarceration; died of natural causes (heart attack and lung complications)
LA
Shreveport, Louisiana
approx. 1963 – 1964 · Lived with father who was released from federal prison; attended reform school in Louisiana until age 17
Angola, Louisiana
1967 – 1971 · Louisiana State Penitentiary · First incarceration: 4.5 years for robbery and rape; served time at Angola State Penitentiary
Bossier Parish, Louisiana
approx. 1967 – 1967 · Awaiting trial on aggravated battery charges; suffered severe burns from cellmate incident
Bossier City, Louisiana
approx. 1967 – 1967 · Lived with brother; arrested for apartment burglary, stabbing two women, and attempted rape; charged with aggravated battery
Grand Cane, Louisiana
approx. until 1986 · Worked at photo lab; fled after 14-year-old wife's relative accused him of rape
Angola, Louisiana
1971 – 1976 · Louisiana State Penitentiary · Second incarceration: served 6 of 10-year sentence for robbery and rape; released August 18, 1971, for good behavior
TX
Texas
approx. 1986 – 1992 · Worked various jobs as truck driver and traveling carnival worker; moved through multiple states
Tyler, Texas
approx. 1986 – 1986 · Released from Angola and lived with half-brother Earnest Arnold; worked as truck driver for carnival out of Tyler; moved after brother disapproved of relationship with gay man
Timeline
Dec 09, 1947
James Godwin born in Pensacola, Florida.
1949
Father incarcerated in federal prison; mother Hazel Godwin moved with James to Pocatello, Idaho.
1955
Mother died in potato processing plant fire in Pocatello while James was in school nearby; age 8.
1961
Received counseling at St. Anthony's Youth Correction Center in Idaho; stole car and set fires; became ward of state.
1967
Arrested in Bossier City, Louisiana for breaking into apartment and stabbing two women; charged with aggravated battery.
1969
Committed first rape at age 22.
1986
Released from Angola State Penitentiary and moved to Texas; lived with half-brother Earnest Arnold and worked as truck driver.
Oct 1992
Robbed a Pizza Hut in Denver, Colorado.
Oct 25, 1992
Kidnapped and attempted to murder an 18-year-old female near St. Louis, Missouri; shot her in head but she survived.
Nov 01, 1992
Arrived in Pocatello, Idaho and moved in with cousin Dave Haggard in Chubbuck.
Nov 28, 1992
Abducted and raped a 15-year-old from Pizza Hut parking lot in Pocatello; attempted to shoot her but gun jammed; released her alive.
Jun 29, 1993
Kidnapped and murdered 11-year-old Jeralee Underwood from her newspaper route in Pocatello, Idaho; held her captive over 24 hours, sexually assaulted her, shot her in head, dismembered her body, and disposed of it in Snake River.
Jul 06, 1993
Arrested and charged with kidnapping and murder of Jeralee Underwood; confessed to police.
Jul 12, 1993
Amended Complaint filed charging Wood with 12 felonies including first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, and multiple rapes and armed robberies.
Aug 31, 1993
Arraigned on charges; entered pleas of not guilty to all counts.
Jan 14, 1994
Pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, and two counts of rape; sentenced to death by lethal injection.
Jul 25, 1995
Sixth District Judge rejected Wood's appeal.
Oct 09, 1998
Idaho State Supreme Court rejected Wood's appeal for the third time.
Dec 22, 1998
U.S. Supreme Court Justice O'Connor signed stay of execution to allow appeal to entire U.S. Supreme Court.
May 16, 1999
U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Wood's appeal.
Feb 01, 2004
Died at Idaho Maximum Security Institution from natural causes (heart attack and lung complications); age 56.
Sources
Solve the Case is never the original source. Each item below is the public record a statement on this page rests on, with an archived copy where one exists.
News report · Wikipedia ·
James Edward Wood“James Edward Wood was convicted and sentenced to death for the June 1993 murder of 11-year-old Jeralee Underwood in Pocatello, Idaho”
Other · Grokipedia ·
James Edward Wood“His adult criminal record began with a rape in 1969 at age 22, followed by convictions for armed robbery and rape that led to two separate terms in Louisiana's Angola State Penitentiary: 4.5 years from 1967 to 1971, and a subsequent six-year sentence ending with release for good behavior in 1986.”
News report · Grunge ·
The Truth About Murderer James Wood's Childhood“Per the conditions of a plea agreement, Wood ultimately pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, and two counts of rape. He was sentenced to death by lethal injection on January 14, 1994.”
News report · East Idaho News ·
Local girl remembered 23 years after one of Idaho's most horrific crimes“On June 29, 1993, Wood lured Jeralee Underwood into his car while she was on her newspaper route. He kidnapped her at gunpoint and shot her in the head; her dismembered body was later found in the Snake River.”
Other · Radford University Department of Psychology ·
Radford University serial killer biography: Wood, James Edward“Compiled biographical and criminal history of James Edward Wood from court records and public sources”
News report · Deseret News ·
Idaho death-row killer dies in prison“James Edward Wood, on Idaho's death row for the 1993 murder, molestation and dismemberment of an 11-year-old Pocatello newspaper delivery girl, died Sunday at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution. Ada County Coroner Erwin Sonnenberg said the autopsy on Monday showed Wood died of natural causes.”
Court record · Supreme Court of Idaho ·
STATE v. WOOD (1998)“On July 6, 1993, Wood was arrested and charged with kidnapping Jeralee Underwood. After hours of interrogation by Police Detective Shaw, he confessed to the kidnapping, attempted rape and murder of Jeralee.”
Court record · vLex ·
State v. Wood“On July 12, 1993, an Amended Complaint was filed charging Wood with twelve felonies, including the first-degree murder and kidnapping of Jeralee and several other kidnappings, rapes, and armed robberies.”
News report · Spokesman-Review ·
Killer's Death Sentence Upheld Court Unanimously Sustains Penalty For Child's Murderer“The Idaho Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld the death sentence of James Edward Wood for kidnapping, molesting, murdering and then mutilating and dismembering an 11-year-old Pocatello newspaper carrier.”
News report · Deseret News ·
Investigator has eerie view into killer's mind“Wood has admitted to the rapes and attempted murders of a Bridgeton, Mo., teenager and a Pocatello teenager. Both survived, and Jamie Masengill, 19, of Bridgeton, testified against him at his sentencing hearing.”
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