John Couey, a convicted sex offender who was sentenced to death in 2007 for the murder of a 9 year-old girl named Jessica Lunsford, died of natural causes in a Jacksonville hospital on Wednesday (September 30).

The 51 year-old man abducted Jessica from her bedroom, raped her and buried her alive in two plastic garbage bags back in 2005. His attorneys claimed he was mentally retarded and had a troubled childhood. John had recently petitioned for a new trial.

John Couey & Jessica Lunsford Pictures