ATMORE, Ala. — James Osgood, 55, who admitted to the brutal rape and murder of a woman in 2010, was executed by lethal injection on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility.
Osgood, who spent over 10 years on death row, was pronounced dead at 6:35 p.m., according to a statement from the office of Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.
The Crime
In 2010, Osgood and his then-girlfriend, Tonya Vandyke, who was also the victim’s cousin, attacked Tracy Lynn Brown at her home in Chilton County, Alabama.
According to reports, Osgood admitted he and Vandyke sexually assaulted Brown before he slit her throat and stabbed her in the back.
Brown, a 44-year-old hardworking mother, was found dead on October 23, 2010, after her employer became worried when she didn’t show up for work.
Osgood’s Final Moments
In his last words, Osgood apologized to his victim and said:
“I haven’t said her name since that day.”
Osgood admitted he deserved to die for his crime, saying a week before his execution:
“I’m a firm believer in — like I said in court — an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. I took a life, so mine was forfeited.”
He had previously fought his death sentence through appeals but later requested the state to proceed with his execution.
The Trial and Aftermath
Osgood was found guilty of capital murder by a jury in 2014 and sentenced to death.
His girlfriend, Tonya Vandyke, is currently serving a life sentence for her role in the crime.
Prosecutors revealed that Osgood and Vandyke had discussed fantasies of kidnapping and torturing someone, leading to the tragic attack on Brown.
Despite some arguments from his defense that the situation was “consensual” and “spun out of control,” the jury convicted Osgood without doubt.
Remembering Tracy Lynn Brown
Tracy’s stepsister, Trish Jackson, remembered her as a loving caregiver who had recently rebuilt her life after a divorce.
“She totally restructured her life, started from scratch. She cared a lot about taking care of others and helping,” Jackson said.
Tracy was working at a nursing home, reflecting her deep commitment to helping others.
Reflections on Osgood
Osgood’s longtime attorney, Alison Mollman from the ACLU of Alabama, shared a more personal view of her client, calling him “more than his worst actions.”
