The Murder of Ed Postma

For this case, I watched an episode of Snapped. It’s season 11 episode 13.

A 32-year-old mechanic is found dead in an almost empty parking lot.

Background

Edward Postma met his future wife Jackie working at a trucking school. Ed was a mechanic, and Jackie worked in the office. They hit it off right away, and were smitten with each other.

Ed proposed in 1995, and they were married soon after. In 1997, they had a daughter of their own. Jackie had two other children from previous relationships, which Ed treated as his own.

In 1999, they bought their first home together. It was in a quiet neighborhood, which Jackie had a hard time adjusting to.

Ed was described as outgoing and confident.

The Murder

On August 20, 2000, a woman driving through the small town of Duette, Florida, pulled over in a small convenient store parking lot to change her baby’s diaper.

The woman saw a man lying on the ground in a pool of blood. She called 911.

The man was soon identified as Ed Postma. He had driven to the area in his pickup truck, and his wallet was found inside the car. Nothing had been taking from the wallet, so it didn’t appear to have been a robbery.

Ed had been shot three times, and his throat had been slit.

Jackie’s Story

The police had to break the devastating news to Ed’s wife Jackie, and his family.

Jackie was located at her mother’s home in Winter Haven, Florida. Jackie appeared devastated and confused about why Ed was found out there. Ed’s family went to comfort Jackie.

The next day, Jackie was questioned by the police. Jackie said Ed didn’t have any enemies, nor was he having an affair.

Jackie did tell the police that Ed could have been traveling out to see her at her mother’s home, since it less than an hour drive from the Oasis convenient store where Ed was found. Jackie told the police that it had been her and Ed’s anniversary.

Jackie said she and Ed spoke on the phone around midnight. He never mentioned that he was coming out to visit her. In his wallet, the police had discovered a receipt, where Ed purchased gas at 12:10am, but not from the Oasis station. He called Jackie one minute later at 12:11am.

The Affair

On August 24, the police received a phone call from an anonymous source. The caller said that Jackie had been the one who was having an affair.

Jackie was asked to come in for another round of questioning. She denied the affair, but her phone records said otherwise. Jackie had been in constant communication with a truck driver and ex-con named Michael Cordes. They were in communication before and after Ed’s death.

The police also learned from Jackie’s friends that Jackie and Michael had met through Michael’s mom. She had been a neighbor of the Postma’s when they lived at their previous apartment complex. Michael and Jackie started spending time together after he was released from prison.

Jackie and Michael fell hard for each other, and Michael would even introduce Jackie as his girlfriend.

This soon started to get around, and Ed was suspicious. Ed had spoken to several friends and his family, about how he wanted to leave Jackie.

More Lies

On September 15, Jackie was again questioned by the police. This time, she admitted to the affair, but said it wasn’t serious on her end.

Jackie said Michael wanted their affair to be more than a fling. He told her that he’d be there for her and the kids when she left Ed. Jackie said she told Michael that she wouldn’t be leaving Ed.

The police didn’t believe anything Jackie was saying. Jackie and Michael had been in contact just an hour before Ed was killed. Jackie admitted to this call, but said it was innocent. Jackie said Michael could’ve had a motive to kill Ed, but that she wasn’t involved.

A Confession

On September 26, the police received a phone call from one of Michael’s relatives. The relative gave the police the name of another ex-con named Todd Martin. Todd and Michael had met in jail.

Todd was brought in for questioning. He told the police that he had been hanging out with Michael on August 19. Todd said that Michael had told him that he was going to fight Ed Postma, and that he wanted Todd there for back up.

Todd also revealed that Jackie was in on it. He said he and Michael drove to Winter Haven to pick up Jackie’s car, and Jackie called Ed to lure him out the Oasis. Jackie had told Ed that she had run out of gas, so of course, he went out there to help her.

When Ed arrived, he called out to Jackie, because the parking lot was empty. Michael then appeared, and shot Ed several times in the head. Michael told Todd to finish him off, and handed him a knife. Todd was the one who had slit Ed’s throat.

Todd was arrested, and charged with attempted first degree murder with a deadly weapon and accessory after the fact.

Michael was also arrested on first degree murder charges, and refused to talk.

The Trials

Jackie was arrested on October 3. She maintained that she had no idea that Michael and Todd were going to kill Ed. Jackie said she lied so many times because she felt threatened, and was scared to tell the truth.

On October 14, Michael finally made a statement. He said he and Jackie had started dating a few weeks after he was released from prison. He said Todd had killed Ed, not him.

On July 6, 2001, Jackie’s trial began. She had gotten pregnant before she was taken into the county jail. A paternity test revealed that it was Ed’s baby. Jackie gave birth in April 2001.

The prosecution said that Jackie had hired her boyfriend to kill Ed because she wanted the house and his life insurance, but didn’t want to go through a divorce.

Todd Martin had pled guilty to accessory after that fact. He was sentenced to 12 years, and agreed to testify against Jackie and Michael.

Todd may or may not have slipped up during his testimony. He told the court that Jackie had asked them to hurt Ed, but to not hurt him too bad.

A friend of Michael’s testified that Jackie had offered to pay her boyfriend, who was also named Ed, to kill her husband. The boyfriend refused.

On July 13, 2001, Jackie Postma was found guilty of second degree murder. She was sentenced to life without parole.

A week after Jackie’s trial, Michael Cordes was found not guilty. He walked out as a free man.

Other

Todd Martin was released in 2010.

Jackie’s sister has had custody of her children.

Jackie and Ed’s families both believe Jackie was the mastermind.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Any true crime case and murder is sad, but this man went out to the middle of nowhere to help his wife, and was ambushed. Jackie proved that she was most likely the mastermind. She manipulated Michael and Todd, and tried to manipulate the police. They saw right through her lies, and didn’t give up until they got justice for Ed and his family.

Sources

http://edition.cnn.com/2002/LAW/05/16/ctv.postma.trial/

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2001/07/05/test-shows-newborn-belongs-to-slain-man/

https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/content/download/364455/file/03-814_JurisIni.pdf

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2002/11/01/love-triangle-suspect-to-be-freed/28727422007/

https://www.oxygen.com/snapped/photos/episode-13-jackie-postma#323341