James Wales Murderer: The Tragic Case Of Cheri Lindsey

The case of Cheri Lindsey’s murder in Binghamton, New York, in 1984 remains one of the most gruesome and tragic stories in the United States’ history. 

For the Lindsey family, the aftermath of Cheri’s murder was an endless nightmare of pain and suffering.

However, as the investigation began, the authorities zeroed in on one suspect, James Wales.

This article details the life and crimes of James Wales murderer.

Early life of James Wales

James Wales was born in 1949 in Endicott, New York, experiencing a challenging upbringing characterized by domestic violence and physical abuse.

Unfortunately, this was the norm in his household. 

His father’s violent tendencies, combined with his mother’s mental illness, had a profound impact on James’ mental well-being. 

Eventually, the family relocated to North Carolina, where James spent most of his formative years.

Upon reaching the age of eighteen, James decided to join the United States Army and underwent basic infantry training. 

However, James frequently engaged in misconduct, leading to various troubles. 

After serving for six years, James received an honorable discharge in 1972 and returned to his hometown of Endicott, New York.

Life after military

James got married and had two children, living a relatively normal life. 

He worked at IBM for seventeen years as a maintenance mechanic. 

However, James’ struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction caused him to lose his job in 1983. 

After losing his job, James’ life began falling apart, and he was increasingly becoming paranoid and delusional.

Murder of Cheri Lindsey

On March 26, 1984, Cheri Lindsey, a seventh-grader with a part-time job delivering newspapers, set out to collect the money owed to her for her deliveries. 

Unlike earlier times, when her mother accompanied her, she left alone because her mother wanted to cook dinner. 

Soon, her family became worried when she didn’t return, and her last sighting was around 5 PM that day.

While the authorities conducted a comprehensive search, Jean Lindsey, Cheri’s mother, informed the police about a man who lived seven blocks away and had yet to pay for the newspapers. 

Jean remembered that he had looked at her weirdly, making her suspicious. 

Less than thirty hours into the investigation, the authorities zeroed in on James Wales, then 35, a father of two, who lived with his family about seven blocks from Cheri’s house.

During his interrogation, James confessed to hitting Cheri two to three times with a table light, then s*xually assaulting, strangling, and murdering her. 

The sheer brutality of the murder left everyone in shock.

Later, James’s stepson testified that he had seen Cheri’s feet in the air and heard her screaming in agony.

Trial and incarceration

During James’s trial, his defense team argued that he was not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. 

A psychological expert testified that James had an intermittent explosive disorder and was fantasizing about an “act of revenge” on his mother at the time of the murder. 

Despite the psychiatric testimony, James was found guilty of second-degree murder and abuse.

In December 1984, James was sentenced to 33 years to life in prison and sent to Attica Correctional Institution in Wyoming County, NY. 

James spent almost three decades in jail and had a parole hearing in 2017. 

During the parole hearing, James took full responsibility for the crime and admitted to robbing Cheri of her life and the joy of growing old.

Currently, James is serving his sentence at Wende Correctional Facility in Alden, New York. 

He continues to serve his time while repeatedly expressing remorse for Cheri’s death and the suffering he caused to her family. His next parole hearing is in 2023.

The Lindsey family had to deal with not only the loss of a young daughter but also the trauma of James’ heinous behavior and the legal proceedings following the incident. 

The emotions and pain of Cheri’s murder still linger on in the Lindsey family to this day.

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