DOUGLAS LAMONT COLEY | Convicted Murderer In Ohio, Has Been On Death Row For Over Two Decades | Execution Scheduled For September 24, 2025 | Autographed Letter Signed

Doug Coley. Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). Columbus, OH. January 28, 2025. Content unknown. SEALED.

Douglas Lamont Coley: Criminal Background and Convictions

Background Information

Douglas Lamont Coley is a convicted criminal who has been on death row in Ohio for over two decades. He was born into a troubled family environment, characterized by his mother’s mental health issues, substance abuse, and his father’s incarceration. This difficult upbringing likely contributed to the circumstances surrounding his criminal behavior.

Douglas Coley had a sad childhood. His mother was frequently hospitalized for mental illness, was a chronic paranoid schizophrenic, and had borderline personality disorders. She would also often abused drugs and alcohol. Douglas was often malnourished and neglected during his childhood. Douglas’ father served time in prison. When out of prison, he was involved with drugs. While his family history was presented during the sentencing phase of his trial, Douglas and his attorneys did not provide any evidence regarding Douglas’ character, school, or employment history.

Criminal Activities

Coley’s criminal activities began to surface prominently in late 1996. On December 23, 1996, he was involved in a violent carjacking incident where he, along with an accomplice named Joseph Green, approached a man named David Moore under the pretense of asking for directions. The situation escalated when both men brandished firearms, forced Moore into his vehicle, and subsequently shot him multiple times as he attempted to escape. Moore survived this attack and later identified Coley as one of the assailants.

On 01/03/97, Coley and an accomplice, Joseph Green, murdered 21-year-old Samar El-Okdi in an alley behind West Grove Place in Toledo. Coley and Green abducted Ms. El-Okdi, shot her in the head at close range, and stole her car. Coley was also convicted for the attempted murder, robbery, and kidnapping of David Moore for a separate car-jacking incident that occurred days before the murder of Ms. El-Okdi. (Green also initially received a death sentence for the aggravated murder of Ms. El-Odki but was later resentenced to life without parole.)

Murder of Samar El-Okdi

The most significant crime associated with Douglas Coley is the murder of 21-year-old Samar El-Okdi. She was last seen alive on January 3, 1997, and her body was discovered shortly thereafter in an alley with a gunshot wound to her head. The deputy coroner found that El-Okdi had died from a .25 caliber bullet, which the deputy coroner removed from the back of her cerebellum. The bullet had struck her between the eyes and had been fired from a muzzle distance of approximately twelve to eighteen inches. The deputy coroner concluded that El-Okdi did not die immediately. Evidence linked Coley and Green to her murder through various means, including the recovery of stolen items from El-Okdi’s possession found in their vehicle during their arrest.

Legal Proceedings

Following these events, both Coley and Green were charged with murder and other related offenses. They were convicted based on substantial evidence against them, including eyewitness testimony from David Moore and forensic evidence linking them to the crime scenes. While both were initially sentenced to death for their crimes, Green’s sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.

Current Status

On 10/03/01, the Ohio Supreme Court affirmed Coley’s conviction and death sentence on direct appeal. Coley did not file a petition for post-conviction relief. On 04/05/10, the district court denied Coley’s 01/02/03 habeas petition; the 6th Circuit affirmed on 02/08/13. On 10/25/17, Coley filed a motion for relief in the district court, which the court transferred to the 6th Circuit as a successive petition on 11/29/17; the 6th Circuit denied the motion on 04/22/19. On 12/11/18, the trial court denied Coley’s 04/20/18 motion for a new trial; the court of appeals affirmed on 12/13/19; and the Ohio Supreme Court denied his appeal on 05/12/20. On 05/12/21, the Ohio Supreme Court denied Coley’s 03/04/21 motion for relief. Meanwhile, on 06/02/20, Coley filed an application for leave to file a successive habeas petition, which the 6th Circuit denied on 07/29/20. On 10/05/22, the trial court denied Coley’s 04/28/22 pro se motion for leave to file a motion for new trial and his 06/13/22 pro se motion for recusal of the trial judge. Coley filed a notice of appeal on 10/25/20; he filed his merit brief on 12/07/22; the State responded with an amended brief on 04/10/23; and on 12/08/23, the court of appeals affirmed the decision of the trial court. On 12/21/23, Coley filed a motion for reconsideration; the State opposed on 01/04/24. Meanwhile, on 05/04/15, the Ohio Supreme Court set Coley’s execution date for 03/14/18. Coley received reprieves on 05/01/17 until 09/18/19; on 09/01/17 until 08/12/20; on 04/14/20 until 07/20/22; and on 02/18/22 until 09/24/25.

As of now, Douglas Coley’s execution has been rescheduled for September 24, 2025. His case has faced delays primarily due to issues surrounding lethal injection protocols in Ohio. Despite being on death row for many years—specifically since his conviction—Coley’s legal team continues to explore avenues that could potentially prevent his execution.

Conclusion

In summary, Douglas Lamont Coley is a convicted murderer who has spent over two decades on death row following his involvement in violent crimes that resulted in serious injury and loss of life. His case highlights ongoing debates about capital punishment and the complexities surrounding legal proceedings in such cases.

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