During the early morning hours of July 22, 1987, in Okaloosa County, a neighbor heard loud noises coming from the mobile home of the victims, Edward Alger and Ann Peterson. When A l g e r failed to report for duty at Eglin Air Force Base, where he worked, his superior officer Sergeant John Calloway went to Algers home. The body of a nude female was discovered in the front bedroom. Calloway left immediately to telephone police.
When investigators arrived, they identified the woman as Peterson. She was lying face down on the floor of the front bedroom, shot twice in the head. Alger's nude body was found on the floor of the second bedroom. H i s feet were tied with a curtain cord and a piece of the same cord was tied to his left wrist. Alges had been shot three times and his throat cut. A warrant was obtained to search the mobile home where Walls lived with his roommate. The warrant was issued based primarily on information given to the investigators by Walls' former roommate, who lived in the mobile home adjacent to that of the victims. A number of items were seized during the search that were linked to the crime scene. Walls was charged with ten offenses. Some of these charges were dismissed or reduced to lesser offenses following Walls' motion for judgment of acquittal at the conclusion of the trial.
Following his arrest, Walls gave a statement to the investigators detailing his involvement in the murders. In this confession, Walls indicated that he deliberately woke up the two victims by knocking over a fan after entering the house to commit a burglary. Then he forced Alger to lie on the floor and made Peterson tie him up so that his hands were "behind the back, ankles shack1ed.I' He next forced Peterson to lie on the floor so he could tie her up in the same manner.

Walls stated that Alger later got loose from his bindings and attacked Walls. During the fight, Walls tackled A l g e r , forced him to the floor, and "caught across the throat with the knife." Alger continued struggling with Walls and succeeded in biting him on the leg. At this point, Walls apparently dropped his knife. Walls then pulled out his gun and shot Alger several times in the head.
Walls returned to Peterson. He found her "laying in there crying and everything, asked--asked me some questions." Walls said he could not understand what she was saying, so he removed her gag. She asked if Alger was all right. Walls said: 1 told her no. I told her what was going on, and I said, ''1 came in here, and I didn't want to hurt none of y'all. I didn't want to hurt you, but he attacked my ass, and things just happened.
Walls then untied Peterson, and "started wrestling around with her. During this second struggle, he ripped off Peterson's clothing. Walls' confession stated: [Peterson] was like curled up crying like. I don't know, I guess I was paranoid and everything. I didn't want no, uh, no witnesses.
1--all I know is just--all I know I just went out, and I just pulled the trigger a couple of times right there behind her head. I mean close range, I mean shit, it's got powder burns (unintelligible) and everything.

Walls stated that after the first shot, Peterson was "doing all kinds of screaming." He then forced her face into a pillow and shot her a second time in the head. Walls pled not guilty and filed several pretrial motions, including a motion to determine his competency to stand trial. Five experts testified, three stating Walls was incompetent and two finding he was competent. The trial judge agreed with the latter two experts and held that Walls was competent to stand trial. The jury found Walls guilty of all charges submitted and later recommended life imprisonment for the murder of Alger and death f o r the murder of Peterson.