October 13, 2025 • 30 mins
On what seemed like an ordinary morning in August 2015, three friends gathered at Amanda Collie's house to support each other amid a crumbling marriage. No one could have imagined that within hours, the house would become a scene of carnage. Behind the calm facade of St. Augustine, Florida’s elite community, lay a love story that had turned into a deadly obsession—when the abandoned husband, James Collie Jr., sought revenge with two guns in his hands and anger he could no longer control.
In this episode, you’ll discover how a seemingly perfect relationship could lead to such a horrific tragedy. We will trace James’s descent from a loving father to a cold-blooded killer, and how the legal system’s delayed response ultimately led to the deaths of two young mothers. This story is not just about murder—it’s a warning to anyone who believes domestic violence can be ignored.
In this episode, you’ll discover how a seemingly perfect relationship could lead to such a horrific tragedy. We will trace James’s descent from a loving father to a cold-blooded killer, and how the legal system’s delayed response ultimately led to the deaths of two young mothers. This story is not just about murder—it’s a warning to anyone who believes domestic violence can be ignored.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
This desperate cry for help came from Rachel Hendricks, a
woman who was simply in the wrong place at the
wrong time. Rachel was one of three close friends who
gathered at Amanda Collie's upscale home in a quiet suburban
neighborhood on what seemed like an ordinary Thursday morning in
August twenty fifteen. They were there to comfort Amanda as
(00:32):
she struggled through the painful collapse of her marriage, but
none of them had any idea that within hours their
lives would be shattered forever.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Ma'am, what's your address? Ma'am?
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Hello?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Hello, No, I didn't screaming murder. That gunfire, Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
In this sudden burst of chaos and gunfire, their lives
were stolen, leaving behind grieving families and five young children
who would never see their mothers again. A once tranquil
community was thrown into shock and heartbreak. But what could
have caused such a horrific attack, What led to this
(01:37):
moment of terror? This is the tragic story of Amanda Collie,
a woman for whom the help of the courts came
far too late.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
That she is the reason this happens. She didn't give
him the fortitude he needed. She didn't tell the truth.
She wouldn't confirm what he already knew was true. It's
her fault.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Amanda had been living in her family home in Mirabella,
a beautiful and upscale neighborhood in Saint august And, Florida.
She and her husband, James Collie Junior, had chosen it
as the perfect place to raise their children. If you
took a walk through their neighborhood, you'd immediately get the
sense that the Collie family was living a good life.
(02:21):
To anyone on the outside, they seemed like the perfect,
happy and successful family. Neighbors often saw James laughing and
playing with their two children, six year old Trey and
four year old Avery in the cul de sac. The
couple was known for hosting lively gatherings, inviting friends over
for drinks and celebrations. Even as their marriage started to unravel,
(02:43):
Amanda and James appeared to handle it with quiet grace.
Whatever struggles they faced stayed hidden behind closed doors. That's
why the events of August twenty seventh, twenty fifteen, were
so shocking. Around nine o'clock that morning, Rachel received a
message that something was wrong with Amanda. She and Amanda
(03:04):
had been friends for years, having met at a mutual
friends party. Along with Lyndy Dobbins, the three women had
formed an unbreakable bond. They babysat each other's children, supported
one another in times of distress, and were always just
a phone call away, so when Amanda needed them, Rachel
and Lindy didn't hesitate. That morning, Rachel had just dropped
(03:28):
her kids off at school before heading to Amanda's house.
She made a quick stop at a friend's home to
get her hair done. It was supposed to be a
normal day, but for Amanda, the chaos had already begun.
Her usually pristine Morabella home had been completely trashed overnight
while she was away. When she returned at nine o'clock
(03:48):
that morning, she walked into a nightmare. Drawers had been
pulled out, clothes and papers were scattered everywhere. Personal belongings
had been tossed aside, and even her TV had been
small to pieces. Strangely, nothing had been stolen. Everything had
simply been torn apart, as if someone had been searching
for something. Maybe at that moment, Amanda realized just how
(04:12):
much danger she was in. Maybe that's why she called
her friends over believing that safety came in numbers, but
as that morning would soon prove, no number of people
could have protected her from what was coming. Inside the
house that morning were four people, Amanda, Lindy Rachel, and
Lamar Douberley. Lamar was Amanda's boyfriend. She had been officially
(04:35):
separated from her husband James since June, but she had
met Lamar months earlier in April. Their connections started as
a professional relationship, but slowly evolved into something more personal.
By June twenty fifteen, after her separation, Amanda and Lamar
had begun seeing each other.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Can you describe how that relationship started, if it progressed,
and how it progressed.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Upstart professionally president of personal relationship and we didn't see
each other in June.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Two thousand fifteen and ultimately often.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Inspanilation in pra acts. Christ Now, Lamar wasn't just any man.
He was a force to be reckoned with. A former
military officer with an impressive resume. He had attended the
US Naval Academy, studied at the Marine Corps University, and
even worked at the Pentagon. Sharp, disciplined and strategic, he
(05:32):
carried himself with the confidence of someone who had seen
and handled high stake situations. Amanda met him while they
were both working in corporate management at Fanatics, a sportswear company.
As her marriage with James crumbled, she found solace in Lamar,
a man who offered stability when everything else in her
life was spiraling. And on that fateful Thursday morning when
(05:55):
she returned home to find her house torn apart, Lamar
was one of the first people she called.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Did you hear from her?
Speaker 1 (06:04):
I mean, how did you hear all? Tax? Then?
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Based on me?
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Yeah, that was a sort of dage of them. Lamar, Lindy,
and Rachel arrived, each of them hoping to provide Amanda
with comfort and a sense of security. Together they walked
through the wreckage, drawers overturned, belonging scattered, a silent warning
that something was terribly wrong. While Amanda and Lindy stayed
upstairs trying to make sense of it all, Lamar took
(06:34):
Rachel to the garage to assess the damage.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Did there come a time that you were notified?
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Got something was going on?
Speaker 2 (06:41):
In? Amanda tass Yes, and who notifies your money?
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Now? Imagine coming home to find your house completely ransacked,
drawers pulled out, belonging scattered, every inch of your safe
space violated. That alone is terrifying. But before you even
have a chance to process the mess, gunshots ring out. Suddenly,
a trashed home doesn't seem so bad. Amanda barely had
(07:08):
time to react before the chaos escalated outside. A man
stood in her backyard, gripping a handgun and aiming it
directly at the living room. Shattered glass sprayed in all
directions as bullets tore through the windows. His furious voice
echoed through the air, saying where is he? Over and
over again. That man was James Collie, Amanda's a strange husband,
(07:34):
and he wasn't just there to scare them. He was
out for blood. Inside. Rachel and Lamar froze for a
split second. Then reality hit. James wasn't just shooting into
the house at random. He was looking for someone, and
Lamar didn't need to guess who. With Amanda in the
middle of a messy legal battle, her home torn apart,
(07:54):
and her new relationship no longer a secret, Lamar knew
immediately that he was the target. Without hesitation, Lamar yelled
for everyone to run. Then he bolted. He ducked under
the garage door and sprinted between two houses in the
cul de sac, his pulse racing as he put as
much distance as possible between himself and the enraged gunman.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
That was the target and vision, and so I was armed.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Left. Now, if you were in Lamar's shoes at that moment,
what would you do? Would you leave Amanda behind? Or
would you make the same choice he did? Share your
thoughts in the comments below. Meanwhile, Amanda and Lindy, caught
further inside the house, had no way out. They did
(08:46):
the only thing they could. They ran upstairs. Rachel followed
her instincts, screaming at her to find shelter. Amanda locked
herself in the bathroom while Lindy and Rachel dove into
the master bedroom clock barricading the door. Rachel braced herself
her foot pressed against the bottom of the door, her
(09:07):
left hand gripping the doorknob with all her strength. Lindy
crouched behind a chest of drawers, silent, barely breathing. At
this point, James stormed through the front door. While his
gun was still drawn. He stomped up the stairs, rage
fueling every step he wanted Lamar. But Lamar was gone. Instead,
(09:29):
he found Amanda. From inside the closet. Rachel and Lindy
could hear him screaming.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
I said Amanda and Holly were outside.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
That ended at her area, arguing.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Mister Colly was going to know where is he? Where
is he is he? Amanda was, you know bary a
set crying saying that he's not in here. I don't
know he's sigh in here. At one point mister Cowley
came over and tried to close the door, and Ananda
(10:04):
said it he's not in there. That's Rachel and Lindy
in there. That's Rachel and Lendy. And Lindy said it's
Lendy in here. I never said anything, but she shot
it out and said it's Lendy. At that time I
heard a shot. Wally and mister hollyoore arguing and that
(10:28):
was I heard of Lenanda.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
But if you think James's rage ended with Amanda, think again.
His bloodlust wasn't satisfied. After gunning down his wife, he
turned his attention to the master closet where Rachel and
Lindy were hiding. As mentioned earlier, Rachel was using her
arm to brace the door, while Lindy frantically relayed their
(10:51):
desperate situation to the nine to one one operator. James,
growing more impatient by the second, pounded on the door
and shouted open the door, open it now. When they
didn't comply, he fired the bullet, tore through the door,
grazed Rachel's arm, and the searing pain forced her to
stumble backward. That moment of weakness was all James needed.
(11:16):
He kicked the door open, his eyes wild with rage.
But Rachel got lucky. James wasn't looking for her. His
target was Lindy. Without hesitation, he stormed past Rachel, giving
her the split second chance she needed. Heart pounding, she
turned and ran, fleeing into the neighborhood, desperately searching for help. Meanwhile, Lamar,
(11:39):
who had escaped earlier, had also found someone who called
nine one one nine.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
They have a emergency. Yes, manam I do?
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Some dudes just come running down the street. I'm at
he said, other things, God fire shout by something?
Speaker 2 (11:52):
How many shots of the hare? I don't know.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
We're just working out here anytime.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
One. But by the time law enforcement arrived it was
too late. James had vanished, leaving behind a house soaked
in blood. And horror. The once safe home was now
a crime scene, a place of unthinkable violence and devastating
law information about a deadly rampage and a Saint John's
County neighborhood investigator say James Cawley shot and killed his
(12:20):
wife and her best friend, Boss Lindy had been shot
three times, Amanda nine. James had shot her once before
forcing his way into the closet where Lindy and Rachel
were hiding. Then, after killing Lindy, he unleashed eight more
bullets into Amanda's body. He had started with a nine
(12:40):
millimeter handgun, emptying it into Lindy, and when that was
out of bullets, he pulled out his forty five, a
backup weapon, proof that he had come prepared for something
far worse than just an argument. This wasn't just a
crime of passion. It was pure calculated rage.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
But why.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Much is known about the early days of James and
Amanda's relationship. Amanda was thirty six years old in the
year twenty fifteen, a year older than James. She was
born in Orlando, Florida, and had built a successful life
for herself. Professionally, she thrived, and socially she was surrounded
by people who adored her. James, on the surface appeared
(13:24):
just as put together. He worked in the mortgage industry
and lived what seemed to be a stable life alongside
his wife and children. To those looking in from the outside,
he was a devoted father, a man who spent every
waking moment with his kids, teaching them how to swim,
always present, always involved. His sister, Crystal, spoke of him
(13:46):
with admiration, painting a picture of a loving, family oriented man.
But behind the carefully crafted image of a devoted father
and hard working professional, James harbored a darkness that had
been with him for years, a past stained with violence
and unresolved trauma. According to his sister, James had grown
(14:08):
up witnessing terrifying moments of rage within his own home.
He had seen his mother seething with fury over his
father's infidelity, sitting on the stairs with a baseball bat
in hand, waiting the second his father walked through the door.
She swung again and again, her anger manifesting in brutal blows.
(14:28):
But the violence didn't end there. Another argument, another irruption
of rage. This time she reached for a knife, her
temper spiraling out of control, and James stood there, a
helpless child, watching it all unfold. He saw what unchecked
anger looked like, what it could do, how it could
(14:48):
consume a person. Did these moments shape him? Did they
plant the seeds of his own uncontrollable fury. A defense
lawyer would certainly argue that they did. That James was
merely a pro product of his environment, repeating the cycle
he had been exposed to. But trauma alone doesn't excuse
what happened that night. By late August of twenty fifteen,
(15:09):
James and Amanda had been separated for months. He had
moved on, or at least that's what everyone thought. James
was seeing someone new. Yet his obsession with Amanda hadn't faded. Instead,
it had festered, growing into something dangerous, something deadly. Amanda
had done nothing wrong. She had simply wanted to break
(15:32):
free from their toxic marriage to rebuild a life of
her own, but James refused to let her go. His
attack wasn't just a crime of passion or a fleeting
moment of lost control. It was premeditated. It was the
culmination of his growing rage, his need for dominance over
the woman who dared to walk away, and in the end,
(15:54):
Amanda paid the ultimate price for nothing more than wanting
to be free.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Courts about this really are every know what you really are?
Your luckdown stopping?
Speaker 1 (16:16):
That's what you want.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Me?
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Play for me?
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Maybe play.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
Now.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
All of this toxicity comes to a peak when a
neighbor sent James a photo Lamar shirtless mowing Amanda's lawn.
That was all it took to set him off. Fury
consumed him, igniting a relentless storm of abusive text messages
and voicemails that wouldn't stop until the day of the murders.
In their conversation, he texted her, Oh, and your boyfriend
(16:53):
has been parking at the playground and walking around the back.
The whole neighborhood knows. You should just have him park
out front like a man. Yeah, everyone knows what you are.
Don't worry. I will speak with him face to face
sooner than later. Amanda, trying to diffuse the situation, responded,
he's not my boyfriend, like I've told you before. He
(17:16):
helps me with the yard work, painting, moving furniture, et cetera.
But James wasn't having it, so why doesn't he park
in the driveway? If he isn't hiding and I guess
he is married, right, I have a picture of him.
These weren't just messages, they were threats, and James had
acted on threats before. Amanda had already filed a domestic
(17:39):
violence injunction against him, but he had no respect for boundaries.
He had violated the order before, once by stealing her
clothes from the house and setting them on fire in
the yard. In fact, on the morning of Thursday, August
twenty seventh, the very day of the murders, James had
been in court for violating that order. He had sat there,
(18:01):
calm composed, no one knowing that in less than an
hour he would commit an unthinkable act.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Now.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Like many abusive partners, James was a contradiction. One moment,
desperate for forgiveness, the next consumed by paranoia and rage.
Just a day before the murders, on Wednesday, August twenty sixth,
he sent Amanda a message dripping with regret. Please try
to start forgiving me so we can move on. I
(18:29):
really miss you and our family being together. But this
wasn't love. It was manipulation. His so called remorse was
just another tool to control her, and when it failed,
he resorted to terror. In the early hours of Thursday morning,
at around four o'clock, James broke into Amanda's house. He
(18:49):
wasn't there to apologize or win her back. He was
there to confirm his worst fear that she had truly
moved on without him. As he searched through her belongings,
he found all the evidence he needed to send him
into a rage. Men's clothing scattered around, adult toys, clear
signs that Amanda was seeing someone else. It was the
(19:11):
final trigger. Any lingering facade of sorrow vanished, replaced by pure,
uncontrollable fury. He tore through the house like a madman,
yanking open drawers, flipping furniture, ripping through her most personal possessions.
By the time Amanda returned home around nine o'clock that morning,
(19:32):
she walked straight into a nightmare. Her home was unrecognizable, ransacked,
torn apart as if a hurricane had passed through. Furniture
was overturned, drawers emptied, personal belongings scattered and violated. The
place she once considered safe had been transformed into a
scene of chaos and destruction. Shaken and unnerved, she immediately
(19:55):
reached out for support, calling her friends Lindy and Rachel.
Perhaps she was seeking comfort, maybe advice. What she didn't
know was that this phone call would unknowingly set the
stage for the final tragic moments of her life. But
James wasn't done tormenting her. Not satisfied with the destruction
he had already caused, he sent Amanda a final chilling text.
(20:19):
This time, his words carried a thinly veiled threat. You're
an awesome person. Don't take me from my kids. It's
all I have. Call me or I'm going to come
find you. His desperation was palpable, but so was the
danger lurking behind his words. It was clear that if
Amanda didn't respond, he was willing to escalate things further.
(20:43):
Perhaps hoping to de escalate the situation, Amanda called him
back at exactly nine forty one in the morning. She
argued with him over the phone, just ten minutes after
James had left the courthouse. It's unclear what was said
between them, but whatever Amanda told him, it wasn't enough
to stop him. At this point. Nothing could. After the call,
(21:08):
James moved with calculated precision. He drove to a gas station,
then to his sister's house, where he had been staying.
Then back to the gas station, this time to buy fuel.
Somewhere along the way, he armed himself with two handguns,
a nine millimeter and a forty five caliber. His every
move was deliberate. He wasn't acting on impulse any more.
(21:32):
He was following a plan, one that had only one
possible ending. During his drive, James made one last phone
call to his father. A woman walking her dog near
by overheard the conversation and later recalled the desperate plea
in James's father's voice. Please please, son, come back and
get your truck. Everybody knows what you've been through. His
(21:55):
father was begging him to stop, to turn back before
it was too late, but James's response was chilling, filled
with a heavy finality that left no room for hope.
I just can't take this anymore, he said, and with
that he continued his deadly course. James didn't pull up
to Amanda's house the way a visitor would. He didn't
(22:16):
park in the driveway, he didn't knock on the door. Instead,
he parked on a nearby street and approached from the rear,
moving like a predator stalking its prey. He knew exactly
what he was going to do, and he had no
intention of leaving until his mission was complete. The first
gunshots shattered the morning silence, ripping through the living room
(22:37):
with terrifying precision. Rachel and Lamar, caught completely off guard,
barely had time to react before James.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Put it down.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Was fired at them. Every pull of the trigger was
fueled by a single purpose to make them pay. Amanda
tried to run, but James was faster. He gunned her
down in cold blood, making sure she never had the
chance to escape him again. Lindy, who had just arrived
moments earlier, never stood a chance. Before she could process
(23:33):
the horror unfolding before her, she was executed on sight,
and then, just as quickly as he had arrived, James disappeared.
He left behind chaos, death and devastation. But he also
left behind two witnesses, Lamar miraculously unharmed and Rachel wounded
but still alive. They knew exactly who had done this.
(23:57):
They could name the killer, and now so could the police.
The man hunt for James Terry Colly Junior began immediately
after the murders. Law enforcement agencies worked tirelessly to track
him down, knowing he was armed, dangerous, and capable of
further violence. That very night in Norton, Virginia, an unexpected
(24:20):
call to nine to one one would lead to his capture.
A distressed woman reported a terrifying encounter on the road.
She explained that a reckless driver had nearly forced her
off the highway, describing the scene in a come.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
From a creek stop in the road and tried to
hit me. Not should hear in our.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Car panic, she said. Acting quickly, Norton police located and
stopped the vehicle. Inside they found James, along with several firearms.
James was officially charged with a long list of crimes
reflecting the full scope of his violent actions. He faced
(25:00):
two counts of first degree murder for the deaths of
Amanda Coli and Lyndy Dobbins. He was also charged with
two counts of attempted first degree murder for Rachel Hendrick
and Lamar Douberley, who had narrowly survived the attack. Additionally,
he was accused of burglary with assault or battery, burglary
of a dwelling, and aggravated stalking. After an injunction, the
(25:23):
prosecution was prepared to ensure that justice was served at trial,
James's defense team attempted a controversial argument, claiming that his
actions were not premeditated. They suggested that he had been
in an altered mental state at the time of the killings.
A psychiatrist testified that James was experiencing parasomnia, a sleep
(25:44):
disorder associated with abnormal movements and behaviours during sleep. The
defense argued that he had taken ambion, alcohol and other drugs,
which supposedly left him in a confused, dreamlike state. In essence,
they were claiming that James Collie had been sleepwalking when
he committed the murders. However, this defense quickly crumbled under scrutiny.
(26:07):
Just an hour and a half before the shootings, James
had been present in court, where he was seen behaving rationally,
answering questions sensibly, and showing no signs of intoxication. He
had explicitly denied being under the influence of any drugs
or alcohol during the legal proceedings. This directly contradicted the
claim that he was impaired at the time of the attack. Furthermore,
(26:30):
surveillance footage, phone records, and witness testimonies all painted a
different picture, one of a man who knew exactly what
he was doing. The jury deliberated, but the decision was
swift and unanimous. James Colly Junior was found guilty on
all counts. Not only that, but the jury also reached
a unanimous recommendation for the death penalty. The prosecution had
(26:54):
presented four aggravating factors beyond a reasonable doubt, solidifying their case. First,
James had been previously convicted of another violent felony. Since
he had committed multiple murders and attempted murders at once,
this applied. Second, he carried out the murders while engaging
in burglary. Third, each murder was deemed especially heinous, atrocious,
(27:17):
or cruel. Finally, and perhaps most damning, the jury found
that he had committed each killing with cold, calculated premeditation.
One of the most haunting testimonies came from the medical examiner,
who revealed that a Mande Coli had been fully aware
during the entire attack. She had been shot nine times
before finally succumbing to her injuries. The sheer brutality of
(27:41):
the crime reinforced the jury's decision. This was not an accident,
nor a crime of passion. It was an execution. In
November of twenty eighteen, James Coley Junior was sentenced to death.
He appealed the verdict, but in twenty twenty the courts
upheld his sentence. Today he remains on death row, awaiting it.
(28:02):
Called it more than murder. He described it as executions.
Now James Colly has been sentenced to death. Collie murdered
his wife and her best friend while they begged for
their lives. Clearly, Judge Howard Maltch didn't believe Collie's explanation
that it was all an accident. His fate now. What
made this case even more controversial was the unwavering support
(28:25):
James received from his own family, particularly his sister. Before
the trial even began. She stood firmly by his side,
fully believing in his innocence. In one recorded call, she
even led a heartfelt prayer for him, asking that he
be released safely from jail. But what she failed to
consider was the devastating reality of his actions. No matter
(28:50):
how deep her love for her brother ran, or whatever
justification James may have believed he had, nothing could ever
make up for the fact that he stole the lives
of two mothers, women who left behind a total of
five young children. These children were now forced to grow
up without the warmth, love, and guidance of their mothers.
(29:11):
Their families were left shattered, their lives forever changed by
an act of violence that could never be undone. During
the trial, Lindy Dobbin's husband took the stand. His testimony
filled with grief and devastation. He spoke about the unbearable
pain of losing his wife, about how their children had
(29:31):
to face life without their mother, and how the loss
had left a wound that would never fully heal. His
words were a painful reminder that behind every crime, there
are innocent lives that some.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Little baseball aims are attended with.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
In that blue chair.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
In the Lost Past play if simptine t shirt signed
I'm a Swimming from Lady Love Home.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Is stuff for the most So if James were your brother,
what would you do? Would you pray for his release,
hoping for a second chance, or would you acknowledge the
weight of his actions and the irreversible damage he caused.
As you think about your answer, let this be a
(30:23):
reminder domestic violence doesn't just happen in isolation, a con
spiral into unimaginable tragedy, tearing families apart in ways that
can never be repaired, and when it does, the only
question left to ask is could this have been prevented?
This desperate cry for help came from Rachel Hendricks, a
woman who was simply in the wrong place at the
wrong time. Rachel was one of three close friends who
gathered at Amanda Collie's upscale home in a quiet suburban
neighborhood on what seemed like an ordinary Thursday morning in
August twenty fifteen. They were there to comfort Amanda as
(00:32):
she struggled through the painful collapse of her marriage, but
none of them had any idea that within hours their
lives would be shattered forever.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Ma'am, what's your address? Ma'am?
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Hello?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Hello, No, I didn't screaming murder. That gunfire, Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
In this sudden burst of chaos and gunfire, their lives
were stolen, leaving behind grieving families and five young children
who would never see their mothers again. A once tranquil
community was thrown into shock and heartbreak. But what could
have caused such a horrific attack, What led to this
(01:37):
moment of terror? This is the tragic story of Amanda Collie,
a woman for whom the help of the courts came
far too late.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
That she is the reason this happens. She didn't give
him the fortitude he needed. She didn't tell the truth.
She wouldn't confirm what he already knew was true. It's
her fault.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Amanda had been living in her family home in Mirabella,
a beautiful and upscale neighborhood in Saint august And, Florida.
She and her husband, James Collie Junior, had chosen it
as the perfect place to raise their children. If you
took a walk through their neighborhood, you'd immediately get the
sense that the Collie family was living a good life.
(02:21):
To anyone on the outside, they seemed like the perfect,
happy and successful family. Neighbors often saw James laughing and
playing with their two children, six year old Trey and
four year old Avery in the cul de sac. The
couple was known for hosting lively gatherings, inviting friends over
for drinks and celebrations. Even as their marriage started to unravel,
(02:43):
Amanda and James appeared to handle it with quiet grace.
Whatever struggles they faced stayed hidden behind closed doors. That's
why the events of August twenty seventh, twenty fifteen, were
so shocking. Around nine o'clock that morning, Rachel received a
message that something was wrong with Amanda. She and Amanda
(03:04):
had been friends for years, having met at a mutual
friends party. Along with Lyndy Dobbins, the three women had
formed an unbreakable bond. They babysat each other's children, supported
one another in times of distress, and were always just
a phone call away, so when Amanda needed them, Rachel
and Lindy didn't hesitate. That morning, Rachel had just dropped
(03:28):
her kids off at school before heading to Amanda's house.
She made a quick stop at a friend's home to
get her hair done. It was supposed to be a
normal day, but for Amanda, the chaos had already begun.
Her usually pristine Morabella home had been completely trashed overnight
while she was away. When she returned at nine o'clock
(03:48):
that morning, she walked into a nightmare. Drawers had been
pulled out, clothes and papers were scattered everywhere. Personal belongings
had been tossed aside, and even her TV had been
small to pieces. Strangely, nothing had been stolen. Everything had
simply been torn apart, as if someone had been searching
for something. Maybe at that moment, Amanda realized just how
(04:12):
much danger she was in. Maybe that's why she called
her friends over believing that safety came in numbers, but
as that morning would soon prove, no number of people
could have protected her from what was coming. Inside the
house that morning were four people, Amanda, Lindy Rachel, and
Lamar Douberley. Lamar was Amanda's boyfriend. She had been officially
(04:35):
separated from her husband James since June, but she had
met Lamar months earlier in April. Their connections started as
a professional relationship, but slowly evolved into something more personal.
By June twenty fifteen, after her separation, Amanda and Lamar
had begun seeing each other.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Can you describe how that relationship started, if it progressed,
and how it progressed.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Upstart professionally president of personal relationship and we didn't see
each other in June.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Two thousand fifteen and ultimately often.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Inspanilation in pra acts. Christ Now, Lamar wasn't just any man.
He was a force to be reckoned with. A former
military officer with an impressive resume. He had attended the
US Naval Academy, studied at the Marine Corps University, and
even worked at the Pentagon. Sharp, disciplined and strategic, he
(05:32):
carried himself with the confidence of someone who had seen
and handled high stake situations. Amanda met him while they
were both working in corporate management at Fanatics, a sportswear company.
As her marriage with James crumbled, she found solace in Lamar,
a man who offered stability when everything else in her
life was spiraling. And on that fateful Thursday morning when
(05:55):
she returned home to find her house torn apart, Lamar
was one of the first people she called.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Did you hear from her?
Speaker 1 (06:04):
I mean, how did you hear all? Tax? Then?
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Based on me?
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Yeah, that was a sort of dage of them. Lamar, Lindy,
and Rachel arrived, each of them hoping to provide Amanda
with comfort and a sense of security. Together they walked
through the wreckage, drawers overturned, belonging scattered, a silent warning
that something was terribly wrong. While Amanda and Lindy stayed
upstairs trying to make sense of it all, Lamar took
(06:34):
Rachel to the garage to assess the damage.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Did there come a time that you were notified?
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Got something was going on?
Speaker 2 (06:41):
In? Amanda tass Yes, and who notifies your money?
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Now? Imagine coming home to find your house completely ransacked,
drawers pulled out, belonging scattered, every inch of your safe
space violated. That alone is terrifying. But before you even
have a chance to process the mess, gunshots ring out. Suddenly,
a trashed home doesn't seem so bad. Amanda barely had
(07:08):
time to react before the chaos escalated outside. A man
stood in her backyard, gripping a handgun and aiming it
directly at the living room. Shattered glass sprayed in all
directions as bullets tore through the windows. His furious voice
echoed through the air, saying where is he? Over and
over again. That man was James Collie, Amanda's a strange husband,
(07:34):
and he wasn't just there to scare them. He was
out for blood. Inside. Rachel and Lamar froze for a
split second. Then reality hit. James wasn't just shooting into
the house at random. He was looking for someone, and
Lamar didn't need to guess who. With Amanda in the
middle of a messy legal battle, her home torn apart,
(07:54):
and her new relationship no longer a secret, Lamar knew
immediately that he was the target. Without hesitation, Lamar yelled
for everyone to run. Then he bolted. He ducked under
the garage door and sprinted between two houses in the
cul de sac, his pulse racing as he put as
much distance as possible between himself and the enraged gunman.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
That was the target and vision, and so I was armed.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Left. Now, if you were in Lamar's shoes at that moment,
what would you do? Would you leave Amanda behind? Or
would you make the same choice he did? Share your
thoughts in the comments below. Meanwhile, Amanda and Lindy, caught
further inside the house, had no way out. They did
(08:46):
the only thing they could. They ran upstairs. Rachel followed
her instincts, screaming at her to find shelter. Amanda locked
herself in the bathroom while Lindy and Rachel dove into
the master bedroom clock barricading the door. Rachel braced herself
her foot pressed against the bottom of the door, her
(09:07):
left hand gripping the doorknob with all her strength. Lindy
crouched behind a chest of drawers, silent, barely breathing. At
this point, James stormed through the front door. While his
gun was still drawn. He stomped up the stairs, rage
fueling every step he wanted Lamar. But Lamar was gone. Instead,
(09:29):
he found Amanda. From inside the closet. Rachel and Lindy
could hear him screaming.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
I said Amanda and Holly were outside.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
That ended at her area, arguing.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Mister Colly was going to know where is he? Where
is he is he? Amanda was, you know bary a
set crying saying that he's not in here. I don't
know he's sigh in here. At one point mister Cowley
came over and tried to close the door, and Ananda
(10:04):
said it he's not in there. That's Rachel and Lindy
in there. That's Rachel and Lendy. And Lindy said it's
Lendy in here. I never said anything, but she shot
it out and said it's Lendy. At that time I
heard a shot. Wally and mister hollyoore arguing and that
(10:28):
was I heard of Lenanda.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
But if you think James's rage ended with Amanda, think again.
His bloodlust wasn't satisfied. After gunning down his wife, he
turned his attention to the master closet where Rachel and
Lindy were hiding. As mentioned earlier, Rachel was using her
arm to brace the door, while Lindy frantically relayed their
(10:51):
desperate situation to the nine to one one operator. James,
growing more impatient by the second, pounded on the door
and shouted open the door, open it now. When they
didn't comply, he fired the bullet, tore through the door,
grazed Rachel's arm, and the searing pain forced her to
stumble backward. That moment of weakness was all James needed.
(11:16):
He kicked the door open, his eyes wild with rage.
But Rachel got lucky. James wasn't looking for her. His
target was Lindy. Without hesitation, he stormed past Rachel, giving
her the split second chance she needed. Heart pounding, she
turned and ran, fleeing into the neighborhood, desperately searching for help. Meanwhile, Lamar,
(11:39):
who had escaped earlier, had also found someone who called
nine one one nine.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
They have a emergency. Yes, manam I do?
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Some dudes just come running down the street. I'm at
he said, other things, God fire shout by something?
Speaker 2 (11:52):
How many shots of the hare? I don't know.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
We're just working out here anytime.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
One. But by the time law enforcement arrived it was
too late. James had vanished, leaving behind a house soaked
in blood. And horror. The once safe home was now
a crime scene, a place of unthinkable violence and devastating
law information about a deadly rampage and a Saint John's
County neighborhood investigator say James Cawley shot and killed his
(12:20):
wife and her best friend, Boss Lindy had been shot
three times, Amanda nine. James had shot her once before
forcing his way into the closet where Lindy and Rachel
were hiding. Then, after killing Lindy, he unleashed eight more
bullets into Amanda's body. He had started with a nine
(12:40):
millimeter handgun, emptying it into Lindy, and when that was
out of bullets, he pulled out his forty five, a
backup weapon, proof that he had come prepared for something
far worse than just an argument. This wasn't just a
crime of passion. It was pure calculated rage.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
But why.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Much is known about the early days of James and
Amanda's relationship. Amanda was thirty six years old in the
year twenty fifteen, a year older than James. She was
born in Orlando, Florida, and had built a successful life
for herself. Professionally, she thrived, and socially she was surrounded
by people who adored her. James, on the surface appeared
(13:24):
just as put together. He worked in the mortgage industry
and lived what seemed to be a stable life alongside
his wife and children. To those looking in from the outside,
he was a devoted father, a man who spent every
waking moment with his kids, teaching them how to swim,
always present, always involved. His sister, Crystal, spoke of him
(13:46):
with admiration, painting a picture of a loving, family oriented man.
But behind the carefully crafted image of a devoted father
and hard working professional, James harbored a darkness that had
been with him for years, a past stained with violence
and unresolved trauma. According to his sister, James had grown
(14:08):
up witnessing terrifying moments of rage within his own home.
He had seen his mother seething with fury over his
father's infidelity, sitting on the stairs with a baseball bat
in hand, waiting the second his father walked through the door.
She swung again and again, her anger manifesting in brutal blows.
(14:28):
But the violence didn't end there. Another argument, another irruption
of rage. This time she reached for a knife, her
temper spiraling out of control, and James stood there, a
helpless child, watching it all unfold. He saw what unchecked
anger looked like, what it could do, how it could
(14:48):
consume a person. Did these moments shape him? Did they
plant the seeds of his own uncontrollable fury. A defense
lawyer would certainly argue that they did. That James was
merely a pro product of his environment, repeating the cycle
he had been exposed to. But trauma alone doesn't excuse
what happened that night. By late August of twenty fifteen,
(15:09):
James and Amanda had been separated for months. He had
moved on, or at least that's what everyone thought. James
was seeing someone new. Yet his obsession with Amanda hadn't faded. Instead,
it had festered, growing into something dangerous, something deadly. Amanda
had done nothing wrong. She had simply wanted to break
(15:32):
free from their toxic marriage to rebuild a life of
her own, but James refused to let her go. His
attack wasn't just a crime of passion or a fleeting
moment of lost control. It was premeditated. It was the
culmination of his growing rage, his need for dominance over
the woman who dared to walk away, and in the end,
(15:54):
Amanda paid the ultimate price for nothing more than wanting
to be free.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Courts about this really are every know what you really are?
Your luckdown stopping?
Speaker 1 (16:16):
That's what you want.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Me?
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Play for me?
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Maybe play.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
Now.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
All of this toxicity comes to a peak when a
neighbor sent James a photo Lamar shirtless mowing Amanda's lawn.
That was all it took to set him off. Fury
consumed him, igniting a relentless storm of abusive text messages
and voicemails that wouldn't stop until the day of the murders.
In their conversation, he texted her, Oh, and your boyfriend
(16:53):
has been parking at the playground and walking around the back.
The whole neighborhood knows. You should just have him park
out front like a man. Yeah, everyone knows what you are.
Don't worry. I will speak with him face to face
sooner than later. Amanda, trying to diffuse the situation, responded,
he's not my boyfriend, like I've told you before. He
(17:16):
helps me with the yard work, painting, moving furniture, et cetera.
But James wasn't having it, so why doesn't he park
in the driveway? If he isn't hiding and I guess
he is married, right, I have a picture of him.
These weren't just messages, they were threats, and James had
acted on threats before. Amanda had already filed a domestic
(17:39):
violence injunction against him, but he had no respect for boundaries.
He had violated the order before, once by stealing her
clothes from the house and setting them on fire in
the yard. In fact, on the morning of Thursday, August
twenty seventh, the very day of the murders, James had
been in court for violating that order. He had sat there,
(18:01):
calm composed, no one knowing that in less than an
hour he would commit an unthinkable act.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Now.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Like many abusive partners, James was a contradiction. One moment,
desperate for forgiveness, the next consumed by paranoia and rage.
Just a day before the murders, on Wednesday, August twenty sixth,
he sent Amanda a message dripping with regret. Please try
to start forgiving me so we can move on. I
(18:29):
really miss you and our family being together. But this
wasn't love. It was manipulation. His so called remorse was
just another tool to control her, and when it failed,
he resorted to terror. In the early hours of Thursday morning,
at around four o'clock, James broke into Amanda's house. He
(18:49):
wasn't there to apologize or win her back. He was
there to confirm his worst fear that she had truly
moved on without him. As he searched through her belongings,
he found all the evidence he needed to send him
into a rage. Men's clothing scattered around, adult toys, clear
signs that Amanda was seeing someone else. It was the
(19:11):
final trigger. Any lingering facade of sorrow vanished, replaced by pure,
uncontrollable fury. He tore through the house like a madman,
yanking open drawers, flipping furniture, ripping through her most personal possessions.
By the time Amanda returned home around nine o'clock that morning,
(19:32):
she walked straight into a nightmare. Her home was unrecognizable, ransacked,
torn apart as if a hurricane had passed through. Furniture
was overturned, drawers emptied, personal belongings scattered and violated. The
place she once considered safe had been transformed into a
scene of chaos and destruction. Shaken and unnerved, she immediately
(19:55):
reached out for support, calling her friends Lindy and Rachel.
Perhaps she was seeking comfort, maybe advice. What she didn't
know was that this phone call would unknowingly set the
stage for the final tragic moments of her life. But
James wasn't done tormenting her. Not satisfied with the destruction
he had already caused, he sent Amanda a final chilling text.
(20:19):
This time, his words carried a thinly veiled threat. You're
an awesome person. Don't take me from my kids. It's
all I have. Call me or I'm going to come
find you. His desperation was palpable, but so was the
danger lurking behind his words. It was clear that if
Amanda didn't respond, he was willing to escalate things further.
(20:43):
Perhaps hoping to de escalate the situation, Amanda called him
back at exactly nine forty one in the morning. She
argued with him over the phone, just ten minutes after
James had left the courthouse. It's unclear what was said
between them, but whatever Amanda told him, it wasn't enough
to stop him. At this point. Nothing could. After the call,
(21:08):
James moved with calculated precision. He drove to a gas station,
then to his sister's house, where he had been staying.
Then back to the gas station, this time to buy fuel.
Somewhere along the way, he armed himself with two handguns,
a nine millimeter and a forty five caliber. His every
move was deliberate. He wasn't acting on impulse any more.
(21:32):
He was following a plan, one that had only one
possible ending. During his drive, James made one last phone
call to his father. A woman walking her dog near
by overheard the conversation and later recalled the desperate plea
in James's father's voice. Please please, son, come back and
get your truck. Everybody knows what you've been through. His
(21:55):
father was begging him to stop, to turn back before
it was too late, but James's response was chilling, filled
with a heavy finality that left no room for hope.
I just can't take this anymore, he said, and with
that he continued his deadly course. James didn't pull up
to Amanda's house the way a visitor would. He didn't
(22:16):
park in the driveway, he didn't knock on the door. Instead,
he parked on a nearby street and approached from the rear,
moving like a predator stalking its prey. He knew exactly
what he was going to do, and he had no
intention of leaving until his mission was complete. The first
gunshots shattered the morning silence, ripping through the living room
(22:37):
with terrifying precision. Rachel and Lamar, caught completely off guard,
barely had time to react before James.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
Put it down.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Was fired at them. Every pull of the trigger was
fueled by a single purpose to make them pay. Amanda
tried to run, but James was faster. He gunned her
down in cold blood, making sure she never had the
chance to escape him again. Lindy, who had just arrived
moments earlier, never stood a chance. Before she could process
(23:33):
the horror unfolding before her, she was executed on sight,
and then, just as quickly as he had arrived, James disappeared.
He left behind chaos, death and devastation. But he also
left behind two witnesses, Lamar miraculously unharmed and Rachel wounded
but still alive. They knew exactly who had done this.
(23:57):
They could name the killer, and now so could the police.
The man hunt for James Terry Colly Junior began immediately
after the murders. Law enforcement agencies worked tirelessly to track
him down, knowing he was armed, dangerous, and capable of
further violence. That very night in Norton, Virginia, an unexpected
(24:20):
call to nine to one one would lead to his capture.
A distressed woman reported a terrifying encounter on the road.
She explained that a reckless driver had nearly forced her
off the highway, describing the scene in a come.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
From a creek stop in the road and tried to
hit me. Not should hear in our.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Car panic, she said. Acting quickly, Norton police located and
stopped the vehicle. Inside they found James, along with several firearms.
James was officially charged with a long list of crimes
reflecting the full scope of his violent actions. He faced
(25:00):
two counts of first degree murder for the deaths of
Amanda Coli and Lyndy Dobbins. He was also charged with
two counts of attempted first degree murder for Rachel Hendrick
and Lamar Douberley, who had narrowly survived the attack. Additionally,
he was accused of burglary with assault or battery, burglary
of a dwelling, and aggravated stalking. After an injunction, the
(25:23):
prosecution was prepared to ensure that justice was served at trial,
James's defense team attempted a controversial argument, claiming that his
actions were not premeditated. They suggested that he had been
in an altered mental state at the time of the killings.
A psychiatrist testified that James was experiencing parasomnia, a sleep
(25:44):
disorder associated with abnormal movements and behaviours during sleep. The
defense argued that he had taken ambion, alcohol and other drugs,
which supposedly left him in a confused, dreamlike state. In essence,
they were claiming that James Collie had been sleepwalking when
he committed the murders. However, this defense quickly crumbled under scrutiny.
(26:07):
Just an hour and a half before the shootings, James
had been present in court, where he was seen behaving rationally,
answering questions sensibly, and showing no signs of intoxication. He
had explicitly denied being under the influence of any drugs
or alcohol during the legal proceedings. This directly contradicted the
claim that he was impaired at the time of the attack. Furthermore,
(26:30):
surveillance footage, phone records, and witness testimonies all painted a
different picture, one of a man who knew exactly what
he was doing. The jury deliberated, but the decision was
swift and unanimous. James Colly Junior was found guilty on
all counts. Not only that, but the jury also reached
a unanimous recommendation for the death penalty. The prosecution had
(26:54):
presented four aggravating factors beyond a reasonable doubt, solidifying their case. First,
James had been previously convicted of another violent felony. Since
he had committed multiple murders and attempted murders at once,
this applied. Second, he carried out the murders while engaging
in burglary. Third, each murder was deemed especially heinous, atrocious,
(27:17):
or cruel. Finally, and perhaps most damning, the jury found
that he had committed each killing with cold, calculated premeditation.
One of the most haunting testimonies came from the medical examiner,
who revealed that a Mande Coli had been fully aware
during the entire attack. She had been shot nine times
before finally succumbing to her injuries. The sheer brutality of
(27:41):
the crime reinforced the jury's decision. This was not an accident,
nor a crime of passion. It was an execution. In
November of twenty eighteen, James Coley Junior was sentenced to death.
He appealed the verdict, but in twenty twenty the courts
upheld his sentence. Today he remains on death row, awaiting it.
(28:02):
Called it more than murder. He described it as executions.
Now James Colly has been sentenced to death. Collie murdered
his wife and her best friend while they begged for
their lives. Clearly, Judge Howard Maltch didn't believe Collie's explanation
that it was all an accident. His fate now. What
made this case even more controversial was the unwavering support
(28:25):
James received from his own family, particularly his sister. Before
the trial even began. She stood firmly by his side,
fully believing in his innocence. In one recorded call, she
even led a heartfelt prayer for him, asking that he
be released safely from jail. But what she failed to
consider was the devastating reality of his actions. No matter
(28:50):
how deep her love for her brother ran, or whatever
justification James may have believed he had, nothing could ever
make up for the fact that he stole the lives
of two mothers, women who left behind a total of
five young children. These children were now forced to grow
up without the warmth, love, and guidance of their mothers.
(29:11):
Their families were left shattered, their lives forever changed by
an act of violence that could never be undone. During
the trial, Lindy Dobbin's husband took the stand. His testimony
filled with grief and devastation. He spoke about the unbearable
pain of losing his wife, about how their children had
(29:31):
to face life without their mother, and how the loss
had left a wound that would never fully heal. His
words were a painful reminder that behind every crime, there
are innocent lives that some.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
Little baseball aims are attended with.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
In that blue chair.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
In the Lost Past play if simptine t shirt signed
I'm a Swimming from Lady Love Home.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Is stuff for the most So if James were your brother,
what would you do? Would you pray for his release,
hoping for a second chance, or would you acknowledge the
weight of his actions and the irreversible damage he caused.
As you think about your answer, let this be a
(30:23):
reminder domestic violence doesn't just happen in isolation, a con
spiral into unimaginable tragedy, tearing families apart in ways that
can never be repaired, and when it does, the only
question left to ask is could this have been prevented?
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!