Michael James Perry, age 28 was executed just after 6p.m. Thursday night for the October 24, 2001 murder of Conroe Regional Hospital nurse Sandra Stotler, age 50.
Also murdered that night were Stotlers step-grandson who she adopted at six months old and raised as a son, James, and his friend Jeremy Richardson.
Michael Perry was actually pulled over in Stotler’s red Camaro and arrested a few days later. He however told police his name was James Stotler and was released on bond.
The very next day a fisherman was at Crater Lake in Grangerland when they snagged a blanket containing Sandra Stotler’s body. The body had been taken there by Perry and Burkett after they murdered Sandra Stotler in her home and used Burkett’s girlfriends truck.
Since Stotler was not known to be missing police started the task of attempting to identify her.
The next morning a co-worker notified officials that Sandra Stotler had not been at work for several days, as deputies checked her home they found blood. Having other information the Sheriff’s Department now starts a manhunt for Jason Burkett and Michael Perry and a Isuzu Rodeo that was also owned by the Stotler’s.
The following day, October 30, 2001 the Rodeo was ispotted behind Ronnies Truck Stop near the Harris/Montgomery County line on Interstate 45 south. As the two tried to flee they hit a deputy and ran into the building as shots were exchanged using the murder weapon, a shotgun stolen from a Conroe resident. Burkett was shot in the exchange but both suspects then fled on foot to the Wildwood Forest Apartments around the corner where Burkett lived and were taken into custody.
Burkett told police where the bodies of Sandra Stotler’s son James age 16 is and also his friend Jeremy Richardson age 18 were and lead them to the Montgomery Trace Subdivision.
It was determined the motive for the murders was they wanted Sandra Stotlers Camaro.
In 2003 when Burkett came to trial, his girlfried Kristen Willis testified that Perry and Burkett picked her up at work in her pickup which they had been driving that day. They then went to Sandra Stotler’s gated community of Highland Ranch and not having the gate code waited for James and Jeremy to arrive. When they did Perry got out to talk to them a short time then had them follow them to a dirt road off Honea-Egypt and all four males got out to talk. There was a single shot and Perry and Burkett returned to the truck.
At this point she left them as they drove the Rodeo. Deputies later found Sandra Stotlers blood in the truck.
Perry was only convicted of Sandra Stotlers death, the jurors never heard of the other two murders until the punishment phase of the trial.
Burkett’s trial consisted of the jury hearing and seeing the evidence on all three murders. He received life in prison in which he could parole in 40 years.
Steve Jackson who defended Burkett commented after the trial that a Supreme Court opinion said one person could not be given life and the other death and felt Perry had a chance to appeal his death sentence. Jackson felt that since he represented Burkett and got a life sentence it was a victory being this was the biggest murder case in Montgomery County.
Perry’s last meal request consisted of three bacon,egg, cheese omelets. In addition three chicken cheese enchiladas and 3 each of Pepsi, Coke and Dr. Pepper.
At 6:02 Perry was strapped to the gurney and at 6:03 the solution started to flow. Then at 6:08 he gave his final statement, “I want to start off by saying and letting everyone involved in this atrocity know they’re all forgiven by me.”
Looking at his mother said, “Mom, I love you.”
He then said to the warden,”I am ready to go.” “Coming home dad, coming home dad.”
The lethal dose was then started and continued until 6:12. He was pronounced dead at 6:17p.m.
“I felt sorry for his family,” said Lisa Stotler Balloun, Sandra Stotler’s daughter and Adam’s sister. “It’s not a good day for anyone. When he said he forgave us, I knew justice had been served today. I needed to see if he’s a monster – and apparently he is.
“I just wish Jason Burkett and Kristin Willis were here sitting beside him.”