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Executed Inmates:
Crime File Extracts
J C LEVICE
Charles SANDERS
Grady B COLE
HONOR ROBINSON

Regarding the above named defendants, please be advised of the following facts:

The Texas authorities discovered an automobile in Texas covered with blood near a bus station. A check was made and they discovered that the driver was from Fry, Arizona. They wired to Fry, Arizona, to determine if anyone was missing there.

It was then found that Coy Collier Qualls, the deceased, had been missing a few days, he being the owner of the automobile according to the tag on the steering post. The Fort Huachuca authorities found that the three individuals named hereinabove were AWOL, and also found their home addresses to be in Texas.

The Texas authorities immediately arrested the three defendants and secured a confession from each of the three of them, in effect as follows:

The three defendants secured the services of Coy Collier Qualls and his taxi on the night of January 7, 1942, to take them to Maco, Arizona, without their having secured permits to leave the Post.

They returned to Fort Huachuca early on the morning of January 8, 1942. They then determined to take the day off and go to Douglas, Arizona, to do some more drinking and dancing. Grady B. Cole had given Qualls his watch to hold as security for money to be paid later for the transportation to be furnished. Qualls was waiting for them at the Post gate after they had secured a loan of further monies in the Fort from friends. Before they left the Post and got into the automobile it was stated by Charles Sanders that they discussed the matter of killing and robbing Coy C. Qualls. Grady B. Cole picked up a rock near the Post Exchange which fitted into his hand neatly for the purpose of using it as a club.

On the way into town Coy C. Qualls purchased some gin with the money of the defendants which the four of them, including Qualls, were drinking. According to their statements they told Qualls (according to their prearranged plan) on the road to Douglas that they had to answer a call to nature.

Immediately upon his stopping the automobile, Grady B. Cole struck him with a rock and Charles Sanders struck him with a bottle. Coy Collier Qualls got out of the car and Grady D. Cole and Charles Sanders then began striking, beating and kicking him in the course of which he was knocked down. Grady B.Cole stated that A C. Levice kicked the driver, Qualls, when he was down. (Levice and Sanders denied striking deceased at any time).

The blow on the right side of the head of the deceased after examination by a physician was determined to have been made with a bottle which Sanders was to have been carrying at that time. The bottle neck in our possession is covered with blood which would indicate that the bottle was used to beat deceased with, and in view of the fact that Grady B. Cole used the rock, Sanders must have used the bottle, and according to the confessions, Levice kicked the deceased and struck him also.

The body of the deceased was then loaded into the automobile and the three defendants continued on the road, Grady B. Cole sitting in the back of the car with his feet on the deceased, and according to the statements, kicking the deceased's head in. Grady B, Cole also thinking that possibly Qualls was not dead, had pulled out his pocket knife and pushed it into the throat on the right side of deceased's body. He then threw the knife away.

The money of deceased was extracted from his body and turned over to J. C. Levice, who was apparently driving. All three of the defendants participated in the loading of the body into the automobile and the unloading of the body from the automobile.

The body was taken about nine miles on the other side of Douglas and dragged off into the bushes where it remained for about four days; that is to say, until after the apprehension of the defendants and their confessions as to the above stated facts, at which time they told where the body was.

The County Attorney’s Office entered a complaint in the Superior Court on the 17th day of January,1942, and defendants being represented by counsel, J. D. Taylor of Tombstone, Arizona, waived preliminary hearing in the Superior Court and were bound over for trial in the Superior Court by Judge John Wilson Ross.

It was then indicated by the defendants and their attorney that they wished to enter a plea of guilty and throw themselves on the mercy of the Court. An information was then filed by the County Attorney's Office on January 17, 1942, at which time defendants and their attorney, J. D. Taylor in their behalf, entered a plea of guilty to the charge of murder.

On January 21, 1942, the Court held a hearing on the matter of the culpability of the three defendants in order to determine if there were any mitigating circumstances to be considered on their behalf. The County Attorney's Office presented certain facts to the Court and a statement was made to the Court by John Pintek, County Attorney, Each one of the defendants was then permitted to state whatever he wished to the Court and also their attorney was permitted to make a representation on their behalf.

The Court after having examined the facts and heard the statements then passed sentence of death on the three named defendants on the 21st day of January, 1942, with the sentence of death to be executed on the 3rd day of April, 1942, at the state prison.

Return to J C LEVICE
Charles SANDERS
Grady B COLE

HONOR ROBINSON

STATEMENT OF FACTS ON CONVICTION
CAUSE NO. 33460
Judge B C Stanford Jr.
County Attorney C C Stidham

.4-2-59 defendant charged with the crime of MURDER (FIRST DEGREE) a felony. 4-8-59 Defendant arraigned and entered a plea of not guilty

6–4-59 Trial commenced. At the close of the States case the court directed a verdict of acquittal as to the co-defendant VERA WHIPPLE. At the close of the trial the Jury returned a verdict of guilty as to ROBINSON and imposed the death penalty.

6-30-59 In Division 9 of the Superior Court of the County of Maricopa, State of Arizona, the death penalty was imposed.

Execution on of Sentence Stayed by notice of appeal filed with Supreme Court, as by Court order No- 3160, Dated 8-28-59

CIRCUMSTANCE SURROUNDING THE COMMISSION OF THE CRIME

Vera Nadine Whipple and William Bischoff arrived at Phoenix from the State of Washington some time in early December, 1958. They had been traveling together and living together as common-in-law husband and wife. They were destitute upon their arrival in Phoenix and were aided by the Salvation Army for a few days. On December 15, 1958, they met Honor Robinson. Robinson took them to his home at 4214 S. 34th Street, Phoenix, Arizona. The three persons then worked together upon a scheme to obtain money through the commission of burglaries and robberies. Robinson went with Vera Whipple to various places for the purpose of determining whether or not they could be successfully robbed or burglarized. After a few days Robinson became amorous attracted to Whipple and this attraction culminated with an affair at the Paducah Hotel in Phoenix on the night of December 30. 1958 Upon their return to 4214 S. 34th Street the next morning, they found William Bischoff waiting for them. Bischoff appeared angry at the actions of and Whipple.

The evening of December 21, 1958, Bischoff and Robinson went together into Papago Park in the City of Tempe for the ostensible purpose of burglarizing a house in the area. The excursion was pursuant to the preconceived plans of Robinson and Whipple. Robinson related the following to the Tempe Police: Whipple and he, Robinson planned to have Bischoff and Robinson go to Papago Park on the pretense of burglarizing a house, and after arriving at the park, Robinson was to get rid of Bischoff. After parking the car, both men walked up a dirt road and Robinson dropped back a few feet behind Bischoff and shot him twice in the back. Robinson, at the trial, contended that be shot because he thought Bischoff was going to lunge at him with an ice pick which the deceased supposedly carried. After shooting Bischoff, Robinson dragged the body off the road, and at this point removed such items that Bischoff had on his person. It appears that Bischoff lived several hours after he had been shot. Bischoff's body was found on December 23. 1958, by a member of the Tempe Police Department. Thereafter the clothing worn by Bischoff was traced to a Catholic charitable organization and thence to Robinson who had received the clothing from the organization.

Robinson and Vera Whipple were found living together at 4214 S. 34th Street and were arrested on December 31, 1958. Thereafter, both Robinson and Whipple gave statements to officers, which finally indicated that Robinson had shot Bischoff and that Vera Whipple was not present at the shooting, but stayed with Robinson when he returned and thereafter changed her name to Kim Anne Raber.

The weapon used in the shooting was identified by Robinson. Robinson, after the shooting, had asked his neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Marks, to keep the gun and it was from their home that the gun was recovered. This Weapon was tested by the F.B.I. laboratory in Washington, D. C., and found to have fired the slugs which killed William Bischoff.

The F.B.I. report shows that the defendant has a criminal record dating back to 1935. He served time Alabama 1935 for burglary and grand theft. He also served time in Alabama for Receiving Stolen Property in 1938. Defendant served time in Georgia in 1940 for Voluntary Manslaughter and was convicted in Florida in 1952 for Assault With Intent to Murder and Assault with a Deadly weapon.

FBI 793 860

State Board of Penal Corrections Atlanta Ga murder and escape 7 to 15 yrs

State Prison Reidsville Ga vol msltr.7 to 15 yrs. 12-6-43

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