A Florida killer who fatally shot a newlywed couple in entrance of their toddler practically three many years in the past lastly confronted justice final week within the state’s first execution of the yr. The couple’s surviving daughter has spoken out as an grownup about her childhood reminiscences linked to the horrific crimes.
James D. Ford, 64, was executed by way of deadly injection at Florida State Jail on Feb. 13 for the murders of Greg Malnory, 25, and his spouse Kimberly, 26, after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed his dying warrant on Jan. 10.
“I really feel like I missed out on quite a lot of love …that love from my mother and pa,” Maranda Malnory, who witnessed her dad and mom’ murders as a 22-month-old, informed Fox Information Digital in an interview after the execution.
“I do not wish to say it was closure as a result of it is not closure, nevertheless it’s peace of thoughts understanding that he may by no means, ever get out and are available discover me… I am the only survivor.”
FLORIDA NEWLYWEDS GET JUSTICE AFTER FAMILY FISHING TRIP ENDED IN MURDER
Greg and Kimberly Malnory with their younger daughter Maranda, who survived the killings and spoke to Fox Information Digital about her story of survival. The household photograph was taken the weekend earlier than Greg and Kimberly had been murdered, Maranda mentioned. (Connie Ankney/Household Handout)
On a Sunday morning within the spring of 1997, Greg and Kimberly Malnory got down to go fishing at South Florida Sod Farm, the place Greg labored, together with Maranda, who was 22 months outdated on the time.
The couple’s deceased our bodies had been found the next day, April 7, 1997, close to their pickup truck in the course of a area on the distant 7,000-acre farm. Authorities discovered Maranda strapped inside her automobile seat within the truck, having survived the assault, in accordance with court docket information.
“Poor Maranda, simply left there to die. It was really divine intervention that she survived,” Greg’s mom, Connie Ankney, beforehand informed Fox Information Digital. “The angels should have been together with her.”
Now 29 years outdated, Maranda doesn’t have any reminiscence of the assault itself, however she remembers the precise second she first realized the harrowing particulars of the case.
Throughout her early years of childhood being raised by her grandparents, Maranda was unaware of the circumstances surrounding her dad and mom’ deaths till she determined to take issues into her personal palms.
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Greg and Kimberly Malnory at their marriage ceremony, simply six months earlier than they had been killed. (Connie Ankney/Household handout)
“I used to be 13 years outdated…it was across the time of the anniversary of their murders. I used to be on my pc…and I Googled it. I Googled each element I may discover,” she mentioned. “As a result of I did not know tips on how to ask…it was heartbreaking.”
Investigators on the case found that Greg Malnory had been shot within the head and bludgeoned along with his throat slit, and Kimberly Malnory had been sexually assaulted, brutally crushed after which shot lifeless, in accordance with court docket information.
Maranda had been within the car for over 18 hours with the doorways broad open and lined in her mom’s blood.
“I did not notice the extent of it till I learn it,” Maranda mentioned about researching the crimes as a teen. “I broke down as a result of I got here from two fighters. My mother put up a battle, and so did my dad.”
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Authorities mentioned that whereas Ford was attacking Greg, Kimberly was doing every thing she may to save lots of her daughter, which defined the presence of Kimberly’s blood on the kid’s clothes.
Defensive wounds had been discovered on the backs of Kim’s arms, which indicated that she put up a battle, in accordance with court docket information.
“I truthfully assume had she been capable of finding my dad’s truck keys, she would have went to get assist,” Maranda mentioned. “That is why I used to be in my automobile seat… she was going to get assist having seen what occurred to my dad.”
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Greg and Kimberly Malnory whereas on their honeymoon, in accordance with their daughter Maranda. They had been killed at a South Florida Sod Farm in 1997, six months after their marriage ceremony. (Maranda Malnory)
Maranda Malnory, 22 months outdated on the time, was discovered left in her automobile seat within the household’s pickup truck on the distant Southwest Florida Sod Farm. (CHARLOTTE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE)
Throughout their investigation, regulation enforcement realized that Ford had been seen with the victims within the space of the crime simply earlier than the killings, after which he was later seen the identical night “in a distracted state with blood on his face, palms, and garments,” in accordance with court docket paperwork. Ford was additionally noticed the day after the murders with scratches on his physique.
Maranda defined that Ford, who had been Greg’s co-worker on the Charlotte County farm, invited himself to their household outing that day.
“It form of leaves me speechless,” she mentioned. “That a lot hatred… for those who you had labored with and those that .”
Greg Malnory’s DNA was found on a knife in Ford’s bed room, Kimberly’s DNA was situated in Ford’s truck, and Ford’s DNA was discovered on Kimberly’s physique and clothes, court docket information present.
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“It wasn’t till I used to be an grownup that it acquired a bit simpler for me to ask questions…and ask concerning the day it occurred,” Maranda mentioned.
As she started to be taught extra concerning the case, she acknowledged that her “close-knit” group was the explanation she and her dad and mom had been discovered as quickly as they had been in the course of the sector on the distant farm.
“That in of itself, in the event you ask me, is… I do not wish to name it a miracle, however it’s,” Maranda mentioned.
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Authorities mentioned that an worker of the South Florida Sod Farm had been the one to initially make the “ugly discovery” in April 1997, in accordance with court docket information.
As an grownup, Maranda had the chance to attach with the person who discovered her as a toddler and selected to talk with him straight.
“I mentioned, ‘Thanks for locating us,'” she shared. “And he was like, ‘Thanks for being such a powerful, resilient little lady that I used to be capable of finding.'”
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James Ford was executed for the murders of Greg and Kimberly Malnory. (Florida Division of Corrections)
James Ford was executed for killing Greg and Kimberly Malnory. (CHARLOTTE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE)
Greg and Kimberly Malnory met in highschool, they usually had married simply six months previous to their deaths. Greg’s mom beforehand mentioned that their probability to be dad and mom had been taken away too quickly.
“I take into consideration them daily. I’ve their names tattooed on my wrist,” Maranda mentioned. “They’re my heroes… I truthfully assume that I would not be right here had it not been for them.”
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The 29-year-old mentioned she retains an image of her dad and mom holding her as a child, which was taken the weekend earlier than the killings, on her desk to today.
“You mourn the those that they had been,” Maranda recalled telling her grandparents, “I mourn what may have been.”
“It is that lacking piece” she added. “I so want I may have gotten to know them… I really like listening to tales about them as a result of, in my method, it’s attending to know them.”
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The headstone of Greg and Kimberly Malnory, who had been killed in 1997. (Maranda Malnory)
Maranda at the moment works in particular schooling with youngsters and strives to present again to her group.
“I can do my half due to issues that had been achieved for me,” she defined. “Our group rallied round us, even with the execution. Even now, it is nonetheless, ‘We’re right here for you…we by no means forgot you…we’re nonetheless right here.'”
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Ford was convicted of two counts of first-degree homicide, sexual battery with a firearm, and youngster abuse, and he was sentenced to dying on June 3, 1999. His execution in Florida in 2025 adopted one within the state in 2024 and 6 in 2023.
“It impacts me in some massive methods and a few little methods,” Maranda mentioned concerning the case. “I am afraid of the darkish and loud noises…however I additionally assume it makes me battle a bit tougher… I battle daily to point out him that he would not get to win.”
