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Whether James Maxwell stands trial for the strangulation murders of prostitutes Pamela Will and Chatity Starr remains to be seen with his Friday sentencing to raping a 9-year-old girl 11 months ago. The body of the younger of the two murder victims was dug up from his Port Orange back yard by cops. Maxwell spent time in prison for trying to strangle a prostitute a dozen years ago.DAYTONA BEACH -- The 44-year-old man suspected in the murders of two women, pleaded guilty Friday in court to felony charges in the abduction and rape of a 9-year-old girl who lived nearby and was subsequently given three life sentences.
Though James Maxwell pleaded straight up to four charges in the little girl's rape, he has maintained his innocence in the 2011 strangulation deaths of 49-year-old Pamela Will, whose body was found in a ditch behind an Ormond Beach business, and 27-year-old Chastity Starr, whose body was dug up from his backyard by Port Orange cops 18 months after she was reported missing.
Authorities were cognizant of Maxwell's concern about his yard being disturbed when the idea was floated to that excavation work was going to be done nearby. Port Orange police believe Maxwell strangled both women in is home before getting rid of their bodies. He is charged with first-degree murder in both strangulation deaths.
He was arrested following the rape and abduction of the 9-year-old girl nearly a year ago, during which he took into woods overnight, beat and raped her and then dropped her off at the Port Orange police headquarters the following day.
Maxwell's life sentences were handed down by Circuit Judge R. Michael Hutcheson stemming from his straight-up guilty pleas to sexual battery on a person under the age of 12, lewd and lascivious molestation on person under 18 and kidnapping of a pre-teen child, all life felonies. A fourth conviction for burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, netted him 15 yeas to run concurrently with the other life sentences.
A request by Maxwell's attorney that he be placed in protective custody once locked up was denied by the judge.
The state has not said whether it will push for a trial with Maxwell's sentences all but assuring he'll remain behind bars until he dies.