Joseph Anderson is now serving a life sentence for the 2025 beating death of his ex-girlfriend, Alesa Leach. A judge handed down this sentence recently, following a long trial that confirmed his role in the tragic incident.
As reported by True Crime News, discovery of the crime occurred in November 2025, when the landlord of the 58-year-old victim reportedly forced his way into her apartment. He found her deceased after she failed to show up for work or communicate with her family for several days. She had also missed a court hearing that was supposed to address the protective order she had secured against Anderson. Investigators later determined that she died from blunt force injuries to the head.
Anderson was reportedly officially served the injunction paperwork only a short time before her death. Evidence that was presented during the trial showed that Anderson was present in the home when the attack happened.
He violated a protection order against domestic violence
Surveillance footage and Flock data placed him near the scene before he fled the state. Authorities eventually apprehended him in Connecticut, and he was extradited back to Florida to face the consequences of his actions. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrested him in March following an extensive investigation into the events leading up to the murder.
The legal proceedings concluded when Anderson was found guilty of several serious charges. These included violating a protection order against domestic violence, aggravated stalking, burglary with assault or battery, second-degree murder, and tampering with evidence. His defense team attempted to challenge the outcome by filing a motion for a new trial, but the court denied that request.
Beyond the details of the crime, the impact on the family is profound. Her son, John Baxter, shared some insight into his mother’s life and character. He noted, “She was a young mother when she had me. … I saw her grind her way up into being the person she was, an ordained minister, a bus operator for the city of Jacksonville.”
Her obituary provided a glimpse into the type of person she was before this occurred. It stated, “Alesa lived her life with love at the center of everything she did. As a mother, she gave selflessly. Her care was constant, her presence reassuring, and her love unconditional. She made sacrifices quietly, never asking for recognition, because loving her family was not something she did — it was who she was.”
Published: Sep 17, 2026 05:00 am