William Edward Wells III: The Monster of Mayport
Overview
William Edward Wells III, who dubbed himself the "Monster of Mayport," is a convicted serial killer responsible for the murders of seven people in Florida between 2003 and 2019. His violent spree began in May 2003 when he killed five people over ten days in his Mayport mobile home, including his wife and her father and brother. After confessing and pleading guilty, he received five consecutive life sentences. His violence did not end with his incarceration. While in prison, Wells attempted to murder one inmate and went on to kill two others in separate incidents in 2011 and 2019. He claimed his continued violence was a quest to receive the death penalty, a sentence he was finally given in 2021 for his last murder. He is currently on death row.
Early Life and Background
William "Billy" Edward Wells III was born in Florida on October 7, 1975. His childhood was marked by instability and violence. His father, William Wells Sr., had a criminal history of his own; in 1961, he killed two seven-year-old boys while street racing and served 15 years in prison. Wells was born shortly after his father's release. He was the child of an extramarital affair and was raised by his father and his father's wife, Selma, only learning the truth about his biological mother as a teenager.
In the 1990s, the Wells family and the McMains family were business rivals in the small fishing village of Mayport, operating competing restaurants. This rivalry reportedly led to acts of vandalism and violence. Despite the family tensions, Billy Wells began a relationship with Irene "Tootie" McMains, the daughter of restaurant owners Bill and Angie McMains. They eventually married and had a son together in 1999. The years leading up to the murders were filled with tragedy for the McMains family; Tootie's seven-year-old son from a previous relationship was killed in a traffic accident in 2000, and her mother, Angie, died in 2002.
The Mayport Murders (2003)
The initial killing spree began on May 14, 2003, inside the double-wide trailer Wells shared with his wife and children in Mayport. Following an argument during which 30-year-old Irene "Tootie" Wells told him she was leaving him, Wells shot her in the head. He would later claim the shooting was an accident, stating he didn't know the gun was loaded.
Later that same day, Tootie's brother, 32-year-old John S. McMains, came to the trailer looking for his sister. Upon discovering her body, he became enraged. Wells shot him three times, killing him. Three days later, on May 17, the siblings' father, 60-year-old Bill McMains, arrived at the home and was also shot and killed by Wells after finding the bodies of his two children.
Wells continued to live in the trailer with the decomposing bodies, which he covered with clothes and sealed inside a room with duct tape. His four-year-old son was also present in the home during this time. On May 18, Wells invited 39-year-old Richard L. Reese, a former boyfriend of his wife's, to the trailer. After confronting Reese about the affair, Wells shot and killed him.
The final victim of the Mayport massacre was 20-year-old James Lee Young. On May 23, Young came to the trailer to deliver crack cocaine. According to Wells's confession to a Jacksonville television station, he killed Young after an argument. For over a week, Wells lived in the home with his young son and the five bodies of his victims.
The Victims
- Irene "Tootie" McMains Wells, 30 — Killed on May 14, 2003, she was William Wells's wife and the mother of his young son. She was the first victim in the Mayport killings.
- John S. McMains, 32 — Killed on May 14, 2003, he was Irene's brother. He was remembered by friends as someone who was loved by many.
- Bill McMains, 60 — Killed on May 17, 2003, he was the father of Irene and John. His brother remembered him as someone who was always fun and lived life with a smile.
- Richard L. Reese, 39 — Killed on May 18, 2003, he was an acquaintance of the family. His friends remembered him as a true friend who could always make them laugh.
- James Lee Young, 20 — Killed on May 23, 2003, he was described in his obituary as a high-spirited young man.
- Xavier Rodriguez, 21 — Killed on May 17, 2011, he was an inmate at Florida State Prison who was murdered by Wells and another prisoner.
- William Chapman, 32 — Killed on July 5, 2019, he was another inmate at Florida State Prison. He was scheduled to be released just months after he was brutally murdered by Wells and an accomplice.
Investigation and Capture
Concerns for the McMains family grew, and on May 24, 2003, Bill McMains was reported missing. That same day, William Wells initiated a 12-hour standoff with police, calling them from his home and claiming to be holding his four-year-old son hostage. During the standoff, he also called local news outlets and confessed to the murders. Shortly after midnight on May 25, Wells surrendered to authorities. Upon entering the mobile home, police discovered the five bodies in various states of decomposition. Wells was arrested and, after a hospital visit for a purported drug overdose, was taken into custody.
Violence in Prison
Wells's violent behavior continued long after he was imprisoned for the Mayport murders. In 2008, while at a South Florida prison, he was convicted of attempted murder for tying up, strangling, and stabbing another inmate 21 times. This added another life sentence to his existing five.
On May 17, 2011, at Florida State Prison in Raiford, Wells and a fellow inmate, Wayne C. Doty, murdered 21-year-old prisoner Xavier Rodriguez. The two men lured Rodriguez to a room, where they strangled and stabbed him to death, allegedly over stolen cigarettes.
Eight years later, on July 5, 2019, Wells committed his seventh and final murder. He and another convicted serial killer, Leo Boatman, planned and carried out the brutal killing of 32-year-old inmate William Chapman. The two men cornered Chapman in a dayroom, a known blind spot for surveillance cameras, and attacked him with a ligature and homemade shanks. They strangled and repeatedly stabbed him while blocking the door to prevent corrections officers from intervening. Wells later stated his motive was to finally get the death penalty, believing Chapman intended to recruit him for sexual favors.
Trial and Sentencing
Following his 2003 arrest, William Wells confessed to the five Mayport murders and expressed a desire to be executed. On September 30, 2004, he pleaded guilty to five counts of first-degree murder. In a decision influenced by the wishes of the victims' families to avoid a lengthy trial, prosecutors did not seek the death penalty. Judge Henry Davis sentenced Wells to five consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.
For the 2008 attempted murder of an inmate, Wells received a sixth life sentence. After the 2011 murder of Xavier Rodriguez, Wells was convicted of first-degree murder in 2017. A jury recommended a life sentence, and he was subsequently given his seventh life term without parole.
Following the murder of William Chapman in 2019, State Attorney Bill Cervone announced he would seek the death penalty. On February 26, 2020, Wells pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was allowed to represent himself. On May 25, 2021, Judge Mark W. Moseley sentenced William Wells to death, stating that the aggravating circumstances far outweighed any mitigating factors. His accomplice, Leo Boatman, also received a death sentence. The Florida Supreme Court denied Wells's appeal on April 13, 2023.
Aftermath and Legacy
William Wells embraced the moniker "The Monster of Mayport," which was given to him by the media. He communicated with news outlets from prison, often bragging about his crimes and expressing frustration that he had not been executed for the 2003 murders. He explicitly stated that he would continue to kill until the state sentenced him to death. His campaign of violence behind bars ultimately achieved his stated goal. He remains on death row at the Union Correctional Institution, awaiting an execution date.
