The Jordan family thought this ordeal was behind them. They thought they had closure after the tragic loss of James R. Jordan Sr, Now new details open the possibility of his alleged killers getting released. Michael Jordan or anyone in his family is yet to respond but back in 1993, Jordan created a cultural shift reacting to his father’s death. After seven years, His Airness had led the Chicago Bulls to three consecutive championships. His father passed away months later and the scrutiny came on Jordan’s off court activities.

Jordan lost his will to play basketball and instead switched to fulfill his father’s other aspiration for him – baseball. Meanwhile, James Jordan’s case was supposed to be closed. Until 2024.

Michael Jordan’s father went missing

Michael Jordan had a lot going on in 1993. He was a dad of three by then with the birth of his daughter, Jasmine. He was leading the Bulls to a campaign for its third straight title. He had even started the construction of his mega-mansion in Highland Park this year despite being in Chicago for a decade. In March 1993, the Bulls beat Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns in six games to three-peat. James R. Jordan was there when his son made history.

Four months later, the Jordan family was upended. As retold by MJ himself on The Last Dance, on July 23, 1993, James left a friend’s funeral and the family lost contact with him. Mike, his mother, Deloris, and his siblings were concerned. James was often on extended business trips, so the family didn’t immediately find it concerning and didn’t rush to report him missing. Nationwide attention grew as authorities looked for him.

In early August, a body was discovered in Gum Swamp Creek in South Carolina. A couple of days later, James’ red Lexus was found in the woods near Fayetteville, North Carolina, 60 miles away. The car – purchased by Michael for his father with the custom license plate ‘UNC0023’ – was stripped, the window broken, and had all the signs of something tragic.

It would take weeks for the body as it was found in an extreme state of decomposition. The coroner had the body cremated but left a few remains for future identification. James had extensive dental work done, more expensive than the average American could afford in 1993. When the coroner saw the news of James Jordan missing, he made the connection. On August 13, 10 days after the body was found, dental records confirmed the deceased was James R. Jordan. Now investigators had to find out how it happened.

The story from 30 years ago

According to news reports in 1993, James Jordan was tired on his long drive. So he pulled over on Highway 74 in Lumberton, North Carolina to rest. Two teens reportedly saw the perfect opportunity to carjack him. They shot him before burglarizing him and disposed of the body and the car.

The alleged assailants were identified as Larry Martin Demery; then 17, and Daniel Andre Green; then 18. They allegedly found two NBA championship rings and a gold watch Mike gave his father. A phone from Jordan’s car had been connected to a series of robberies by them and led to their arrest around the time of James Jordan’s funeral.

The cremated remains were sent to the Jordan family who placed the urn in a casket. James Jordan was laid to rest on August 15, 1993, weeks after his demise. Several of Jordan’s associates in the NBA world attended the funeral.

Three months later, Jordan cited his father’s loss as the cause of losing his will to play. He was under immense scrutiny in the public as conspiracy theorists alleged his gambling habits had to do with his father’s death. He (semi)retired and switched to baseball. He’d return to the NBA just as dramatically in 1995 but winning the next three championships without his father around haunted MJ.

Old wounds resurface for the Jordan family

Demery pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, among other charges, in 1995. He agreed to testify against Green, which became the basis of this case. Demery alleged that the plan was to only tie up the victim and Green pulled the trigger for no reason. Green was also convicted of first-degree murder and both were sentenced to life behind bars.

Apart from speculation that the state was reviewing James Jordan’s case in 2010, this was supposed to be case closed. But in 2018, the Center on Actual Innocence claimed that there’s no evidence Green is the murderer. Green didn’t testify in the original trial, but this time he alleged that Demery only asked him to dispose of a body.

In 2020, The Last Dance brought James Jordan’s murder back to memory with an older, retired Michael Jordan’s perspective. That year, 44-year-old Demery was up for parole. He was denied twice before and was granted a third time. His release though was pushed from 2023 to 2024.

Green, who’s maintained his innocence, was up for parole review in 2021. He now tells a different story, alleging that Demery told him he had shot a man and needed help to get rid of the body.

In October 2024, Gregory Weeks, the judge who presided over the 1996 trial petitioned for Green’s release. He stated that the forensic analyst did not report a key finding  Reportedly, the blood-like substance found inside the car where Jordan was killed might not have been his blood at all. This casts serious doubt over Demery’s testimony that Jordan was in the passenger seat when Green pulled the trigger.

For 31 years, Daniel Green was known as James Jordan’s killer. But this new development changes things and reopens an old question – who killed James Jordan?