Three Florida men accused of kidnapping, torturing and shooting three victims received hefty prison sentences
Florida – Three men involved in a brutal 2020 kidnapping and double murder have received their sentences in federal court, bringing a tragic and violent case to a close. James Edward Daniels, 59, and Frederick Eugene Rudolph, 69, both of South Florida, were handed life sentences in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
A third man, 56-year-old Herbert Barr, also of South Florida, was sentenced to 12 and a half years in prison, plus five years of supervised release. Daniels and Rudolph were found guilty in December 2024, while Barr pleaded guilty a few weeks earlier in November.
The charges stem from a horrifying incident that occurred on December 5, 2020, at a truck yard in Opa-locka, Florida. According to the Department of Justice, the three men, along with other unnamed co-conspirators, organized the kidnapping of three individuals. After stealing drugs from the victims, the group blindfolded them using duct tape and violently forced them into a rented van. The captives were bound, beaten, and driven around for hours.
Eventually, the victims were taken to an abandoned house, where the suspects attempted to kill all three. Two of the victims were fatally shot. Miraculously, one survived the ordeal. Daniels, during the course of the crime, also stole jewelry from one of the deceased victims. The motive behind the crimes was rooted in greed, with each participant receiving either drugs, money, or both.
Law enforcement agencies across multiple levels worked together to bring the perpetrators to justice. The FBI’s Miami Field Office, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, and the DEA’s Homestead Office led the investigation, with prosecution carried out by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Yara Dodin and Katie Guthrie. The case was part of a broader initiative by the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, which focuses on dismantling major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne called the sentences a “step toward justice” for the victims and their families. Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles and Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz also acknowledged the dedicated work of the investigators who built the case.
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While one survivor lives to tell the story, the pain and loss from that night remain. Authorities hope these sentences will send a strong message that such acts of violence will not go unanswered.
