Attorney James Ray III Found Guilty of Murdering Girlfriend Angela Bledsoe

The Crime and Discovery

• 💔 Angela Bledsoe was found dead from a gunshot wound in her Montclair home on October 22nd, 2018.
• 🔍 Investigators discovered the victim was preparing to leave her partner, attorney James Ray III, and had a realtor appointment scheduled for the day of her death.
• 🚨 Ray's brother reported the incident after James Ray confided in him and left his daughter with him, along with a letter detailing his actions.

Relationship and Motive

• 🏠 James Ray, a former NYPD officer and attorney, and Angela Bledsoe, a financial analyst, lived together in a $1.7 million home.
• 📱 Ray became suspicious of Bledsoe after discovering text messages revealing an affair with Bari Burns, a businessman from Florida.
• 💔 Bledsoe had indicated in a journal that the relationship was deteriorating and she was planning to leave Ray.

Ray's Actions and Flight

• 📝 On the day of the murder, Ray created his will, withdrew funds from the bank, and arranged for his daughter to be picked up from school.
• ✈️ After the murder, Ray fled, embarking on a two-week journey across the US and into Mexico, eventually attempting to fly to Cuba.
• 🇨🇺 He was apprehended in Havana due to an Interpol red notice and extradited back to the US.

Trial and Defense

• ⚖️ The prosecution argued that Ray murdered Bledsoe due to jealousy and his inability to accept her leaving him.
• 🛡️ The defense claimed self-defense, alleging Bledsoe picked up a gun and pointed it at Ray first.
• 🗣️ Evidence presented included Ray's journal, which detailed his version of events and accused Bledsoe of wanting him dead.

Verdict and Aftermath

• 🏆 The jury found James Ray guilty of murder and two firearms charges.
• 😔 Angela's family expressed relief and sought justice after a difficult four-year wait for the trial.
• 💀 James Ray died by suicide in his jail cell on Father's Day, shortly before his scheduled sentencing.