zirovsky

James William Grimsley, 55, of Salt Lake City, Utah, United States is accused of murdering Terrie Ladwig of Concord, Contra Costa County, California, USA a month before 1995. She was 28.

Ladwig was married to Steven Ladwig, a U.S. Navy submarine crew member stationed in Bangor Base, Kitsap County, Washington, USA. In July 1994, they got married.

Terrie was a transgender woman. She was born Larry Earl Tolentino Thompson Jr. in the Philippines.

After marrying Terrie, Steven went back to sea. Terrie stayed in their apartment on Adelaide Street in Concord while preparing to have gender-reassignment surgery.

On November 28, 1994, Terrie called Steven to say someone was trying to break down the door of their apartment. They did not call the police but he rushed home.

On December 2, 1994, Steven found Terrie dead inside their apartment. She was beaten and strangled on their bed.

Authorities found no sign of forced entry. A small amount of alcohol and methamphetamine was found in Terrie’s blood. 

Steven was quickly cleared as a suspect. On December 11, 1994, Terrie’s Buick Regal was found about a mile from their apartment but it did not lead to a suspect. 

On January 26, 2023, Concord Police Department detectives and Salt Lake City Utah Safe Streets Task Force members arrested Grimsley in Utah for Terrie’s murder. He was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail in Salt Lake City before he was extradited to California.

Bond for Grimsley was set at $1 million. On March 4, 2020, he was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility in Martinez, Contra Costa County.

On March 6, 2023, Grimsley had an initial court appearance in Contra Costa County Superior Court. On March 20, 2023, he was formally arraigned and he pleaded not guilty to murder.

On May 16, 2023, Grimsley will be back in court for his preliminary hearing. Appointed to represent him was Gilbert Rivera with the Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office.