Rather than face his victim's families in Arizona's death chamber, a death-row inmate took the easy way out and did something the state has been trying to do since 1997: end his life.
Department of Corrections officials say 46-year-old James Adams was found hanging lifeless in his cell yesterday at 3:30 yesterday afternoon at the Browning Unit, ASPC-Eyman, near Florence.
Adams was convicted of the 1996 murder, kidnapping, and attempted sexual assault of 22-year-old real estate agent Michelle Cohen-Anglin near Cave Creek.
Cohen-Anglin was showing Adams a model home, when Adams attempted to sexually assault the woman and then strangled her to death.
After the murder, Adams stuffed her dead body under a bed in the home, which police found along with some of Adams' semen.
While in prison, awaiting his date with the needle, Adams was no angel, either.
Since 1998, Adams has been disciplined for disorderly conduct, disobeying orders, possession of a weapon, and a sexual offense.
The mother of Cohen-Anglin, Peggy Cohen-McCall, seemed thrilled with the news of Adams' death.
"I want everybody to tip their glass to Michelle tonight in honor of her," she tells the Arizona Republic. "I am ecstatic. This is a good day."
Corrections officials say they will begin an investigation into Adams' death.
