Fields' Mother Pleads for Death Penalty for Loggins

The mother of 25-year-old murder victim Stephanie Fields pleaded with Circuit Judge Gael Wood to impose the death sentence on the man a jury found guilty of killing her daughter.

In a letter submitted to Wood, Faith Fields wrote Vernell Loggins Jr., 40, of Pacific, “deserves nothing less” than the death penalty.

The letter was read in Wood’s chambers Tuesday in the presence of defense attorneys and prosecutors.

Wood did not follow the recommendation of the jury, and instead sentenced Loggins to life in prison with no chance of parole.

Loggins was found guilty in February of killing and dismembering the body of Stephanie Fields in 2009. The jury recommended Loggins be sentenced to death.

“For almost three years now, I’ve thought about what my daughter went through, how she must have suffered, how afraid she must have been. Nobody deserves to die the way she did,” the letter read.

Maintenance workers at the Monroe Woods apartment discovered Fields’ body Nov. 3, 2009, in a plastic trash can that had been placed near a dumpster.

“I always hoped he had nightmares when he slept, but after watching him at the trial, I knew he didn’t,” Fields stated. “He showed no emotion, no remorse for what he did to my daughter.

“They say when you forgive it gives you peace. I don’t know that my family and I will ever have that peace.”

Stephanie Fields left behind a daughter who is now 13 years old.

“I have never wished death on anyone in my entire life, but after what he did to my daughter, I don’t think his life should go on even if it is in prison,” the letter stated. “My family and I hope you take the jury’s recommendation and give him the death penalty.”