Florida Man Zebulon Perkins Pleads Guilty to Double Murder of Teacher and Woman

The Discovery of Vivian James

• 💔 A friend discovered beloved Jacksonville teacher Vivian James, 49, deceased in her home after she failed to respond to calls, with her car missing.
• ⏳ Deputies initially responded to a home invasion but found James had been dead for approximately 48 hours.
• 🚗 James's car was located at a motel, and Zebulon Perkins, 27, was arrested while loading items into it.

Perkins's Interrogation and Initial Story

• 🗣️ Perkins, a former student of James, initially claimed he bought her car from a man named Rashad Simmons for $1,100 on December 26th.
• 🤥 He fabricated a story about purchasing the car for his fiancée, attempting to distance himself from the victim and the crime.
• 🚗 Despite initial claims of not knowing the car was stolen, Perkins eventually admitted to being in James's house and taking items, including her driver's license.

Unraveling the Truth: DNA and Confession

• 🔬 Investigators found bloody sweatpants in the victim's car, containing DNA evidence linking Perkins to the murder.
• 🎤 Perkins was subsequently charged with murder, a fact he initially denied vehemently.
• 🙏 Alone in the interrogation room, Perkins prayed for help, expressing his belief that he was being wrongly accused.

The Second Victim and Cellmate's Testimony

• 📅 A separate investigation into the Christmas Day murder of Leah Anne Klene revealed Perkins's involvement.
• 💬 A cellmate, Saquon Bradford, testified that Perkins confessed to strangling Klene at a motel and then seeking advice from Vivian James.
• 💡 Perkins reportedly went to James, his former teacher and mentor, for advice after Klene's murder, but when he disliked her counsel to turn himself in, he strangled her with a cord and stole her car.

Plea Deal and Sentencing

• ⚖️ Zebulon Perkins pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for both strangulation deaths.
• ⛓️ He will serve 70 years in prison for the murders of Leah Anne Klene and Vivian James.
• 😔 The case highlights the tragic loss of two women due to Perkins's actions and selfish desires.