Kriti Mehrotra
Investigation Discovery’s ‘Your Worst Nightmare: Domestic Disturbance’ is an episode that profiles the harrowing 1994 homicide of Lisa Filiaggi at the hands of the individual she once trusted the most. Having just found true happiness again after moving into a home with her daughters and a loving fiancé, she believed everything would turn out okay. However, that’s when her past came back to ravage her life in one of the worst ways imaginable. So now, if you’re curious to know more about her assailant, James Filiaggi, and what precisely transpired, we’ve got you covered.
Who is James Filiaggi?
James Filiagi and Lisa Huff Filiaggi had married in December 1991, only for her to file for divorce almost nine months later. The court granted their split in February 1993, and within a few more months, Lisa got engaged to Eric Beiswenger. This fact enraged James, so he chose to seek revenge in the only way he understood. On January 20, 1994, he trespassed onto the new couple’s property, vandalized it, and also threw a bottle at their living room window for intimidation. Lisa filed charges, oblivious to the fact that James would buy a gun two days later — on the 22nd.
On January 24, 1994, James took out a $1,000 cash advance on his credit card, left nearly $700 with his girlfriend, and made his way to his ex-wife’s home. As he kicked down her door, she frantically dialed 911 and revealed that her former partner was actively terrorizing her. She then fled with the phone still in her hands and went to a neighbor’s, but James followed. He forced his way in, saw Lisa hiding in the closet, and dragged her out. They struggled for the firearm, and James accidentally shot her in the shoulder, leading to him firing two more bullets to her head.
As per records, before pulling the trigger for the final time, James said to his ex-wife, “This will teach you to f–k with me.” Following this killing, he went to Lisa’s stepfather’s residence in an effort to murder him as well before attempting to flee the jurisdiction. James’ former in-law had used pepper spray to escape him. No one understood how the once army Sargent and successful college graduate could reach this extreme, but it soon came to light that he’d had an aggressive streak since he was a child. James often feared consequences, yet he couldn’t control his temper here.
Is James Filiaggi Dead or Alive?
James Filiaggi was found guilty of aggravated homicide and other related charges in connection to Lisa Filoaggi’s cruel slaying in 1995. He was thus sentenced to death by lethal injection. He appealed this verdict via retrial motions or filings to get it commuted to life in prison, but it didn’t work. In 2006, though, James gave up to speed up the process and conceded that he’s ready to die. By that time, he’d been diagnosed with a mental illness, something his defense had unsuccessfully sought to establish during his trial. James changed his mind about appeals a week before his execution date, but to no avail.
Eventually, on April 24, 2007, at 11:23 a.m., James Filiaggi was executed at Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Scioto County. For the crime he committed in Lorain County, he became the 25th individual to be executed in the state and the 902nd by lethal injection in the nation. His last statement took a shot at this process, which he deemed torturous.
Moreover, James’ last words, which have become quite well-known, were, “I know I flipped some worlds upside down. For me, it’s fine, but the state needs to learn this ain’t the answer. This is no deterrent to crime. Some are falsely convicted, railroaded. The state needs to wake up. Maybe they will follow the Europeans. God is the only one who knows.”
Read More: Where Are Lisa Filiaggi’s Daughters Now?
