Two men in Florida, James Edward Daniels, 59, and Frederick Eugene Rudolph, 69, were convicted of a horrifying crime involving the kidnapping of three people, torturing them, and killing two, while a third victim miraculously survived.
The Crime
On December 5, 2020, Daniels, Rudolph, and others abducted three people from a truck yard in Opa-Locka, a Miami suburb. They forced the victims into the back of a rented U-Haul van, duct-taped their eyes, and stole their drugs, according to prosecutors... Continue reading here ▶
The men drove the victims around for hours before stopping at an abandoned house. There, they attempted to execute all three. Two victims, Osmar Oliva, 50, and Johan Gonzalez Quesada, 26, were shot and killed.
The third victim, despite severe injuries, was airlifted to a hospital and survived. Prosecutors also revealed that Daniels stole jewelry from one of the victims during the ordeal.
Convictions and Sentencing
Daniels and Rudolph were found guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death, multiple counts of kidnapping resulting in death, and kidnapping. They face life in prison when sentenced on March 10.
A third accomplice, Herbert Barr, 56, pleaded guilty to kidnapping in November 2023.
Additional Criminal Histories
Both Daniels and Rudolph have extensive criminal records. Daniels’ incarceration history spans over 40 years, while Rudolph was on probation for a drug-related offense at the time of the murders.
In a separate drug distribution case, Rudolph was sentenced to 11 years in prison, and Daniels received nearly three years.
These convictions underline the violent and long-standing criminal behavior of both men, who are now set to spend the rest of their lives behind bars.
