Stacey Ian Humphreys, 53, is scheduled to be executed on September 16 at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson, unless a last-minute judicial stay or executive clemency is granted. Humphreys was convicted of fatally shooting Lori Brown, 21, and Cynthia "Cyndi" Williams, 33, on November 3, 2003, while they were working in a model-home office in Powder Springs, Georgia.
Williams encountered Humphreys first, and Brown arrived shortly after, walking into an armed robbery in progress. Humphreys held the women at gunpoint, forced them to strip, and then killed them before stealing their ATM cards. There was no evidence of sexual assault found.
Arrest and Conviction
Following the murders, Humphreys withdrew over $3,000 from the victims' bank accounts. He was arrested on November 8, 2003, in Wisconsin after a high-speed chase. Investigators found the murder weapon in a rental vehicle, with Williams' blood on it, and Brown's blood in Humphreys' personal vehicle. Authorities believe Humphreys was attempting to flee to Canada, where extradition is more complex, especially in death penalty cases.
Despite initially claiming not to remember the killings, Humphreys admitted to investigators, "I know I did it. I know it just as well as I know my own name." Evidence suggested Humphreys was facing financial difficulties, including being behind on vehicle payments and having taken out a high-interest payday loan.
In 2007, a Glynn County jury found Humphreys guilty of two counts of malice murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, and aggravated assault. He also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
A Mother's Perspective
Linda Brown, Lori Brown's mother and a longtime real estate agent herself, described her daughter as having a "gregarious spirit" and being a "people person" who was well-suited for real estate. Brown had formed a close friendship with Williams and was planning to marry her high school sweetheart in 2004. Her wedding-planning notebook was found on her desk the day she was killed.
Linda Brown expressed enduring skepticism about the execution taking place after 23 years of legal proceedings. "Not only did we lose these two girls, but we had to go through 4.5 years waiting for a trial to come to an end. So, here we are 23 years later," she told Fox News Digital. "I’m still in favor of the death penalty for this man that took their lives."
Humphreys' attorney recently filed a motion to overturn his death sentence, citing alleged jury misconduct, but a judge rejected it on Thursday.
Safety in Real Estate
Linda Brown continues to advocate for safety in the real estate profession, particularly during National REALTOR® Safety Month in September. While she considered leaving the profession after her daughter's death, she decided against it. "I was not going to let this man drive me out of my profession," she stated. She now takes safety precautions, such as avoiding basements and walking behind clients when showing homes, though she acknowledges that Lori and Cyndi were in a vulnerable position.
Ed Greathouse, a retired supervisory investigator who assisted the prosecution, noted that obtaining a death sentence was rare in Cobb County, with Humphreys' case being one of only two death penalty convictions he saw achieved during his tenure there.