On the morning of October 16, 1994, a grim discovery was made at the Changing Times Lounge, a neighborhood bar in Birmingham, Alabama. The bodies of 44-year-old Florence Adell Elliott, a female, and four other individuals were found, all victims of what police described as 'execution-style' killings. The other victims were identified as Lester Edward Dodd, Pamela Dodd, William A. Nelson, Sr., and James Watkins. Each had been shot in the head.
The scene was one of chaos, with the bar ransacked, the cash register emptied, and the personal effects of the victims scattered about, indicating a robbery had taken place.
The investigation into the quintuple homicide soon focused on two men who were not regular patrons of the lounge but had been seen there on the night of the murders: Stephen Pilley and Andrew Apicella. Eyewitnesses recalled seeing the pair at the Changing Times Lounge late on the evening of October 15th. Their behavior was described as unusual, with Pilley reportedly acting nervous and inquiring whether one of the victims, Edward Dodd, owned the bar and if he was armed. Earlier that evening, a bartender at another establishment, the Crazy Eights Bar in Bessemer, overheard Pilley and Apicella discussing a need for 'easy money' and obtaining guns.
The evidence against the two men mounted. Forensic analysis indicated that two different handguns were used in the killings. Following the murders, Pilley and Apicella were said to have divided approximately $300 in stolen cash. A significant piece of evidence emerged when jewelry belonging to one of the victims, Pamela Dodd, was turned over to the police by Apicella's family. This, combined with the eyewitness accounts from both bars, solidified the case against them.
Both Stephen Pilley and Andrew Apicella were arrested and charged with capital murder. In separate trials, juries found both men guilty. Stephen Pilley was convicted, and the jury unanimously recommended a sentence of death. The judge concurred, and Pilley was sentenced to death by electrocution. Andrew Apicella was also found guilty of capital murder. In his case, the jury recommended a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, the trial judge overrode the jury's recommendation and sentenced Apicella to death as well.
