The Pedophile Killer Who Felt "Justified" in Shooting Two-Time Convict

James Fairbanks shot and killed a two-time convicted sex offender, but never thought for a second that a jury would find him guilty. Fairbanks, a former school teacher and father of a 12-year-old, believed his actions were justified. 

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James Fairbanks relocated to Omaha, Nebraska, with his 12-year-old son. After arriving, he began searching for a rental home and checking the sex offender registry for offenders in areas near the properties.

Checking The SOR

One name on the SOR stood out: Mattieo Condoluci. He molested two kids. In 1994, he molested a 5-year-old boy, leading to a 5-year prison sentence. In 2007, he molested a 13-year-old girl, earning two years behind bars. He also molested his daughter, Amanda, when she was a young girl.

Condoluci lived near a property Fairbanks hoped to rent. He said he drove by Condoluci’s house and saw a man watching kids play. He noticed Condoluci lived across the street from a playground. He left the area different than when he arrived.

“I was literally ill. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t eat,” Fairbanks would later tell a news station.

Fairbanks Drives to Condoluci's House, Armed

He decided Condoluci deserved a piece of his mind, to know that he’d hurt him if he ever touched his kid. On May 14, 2020, he drove back to Condoluci’s home and knocked on his front door.

Fairbanks retrieved a gun from his waistband as the front door opened and directed Condoluci to “back up.” He did as instructed.

Fairbanks noticed a purse sitting on a table, leading him to suspect someone else was in his home. Suddenly, Condoluci rushed toward him. Fairbanks opened fire, killing the man, and then fled the scene.

Fairbanks Emails Police

He expected police to show up at his house with handcuffs at any time, but that never happened. Four days later, he emailed police, saying he had killed a two-time sex offender, leading to his arrest the following day.

He was charged with first-degree murder.

No Remorse

Fairbanks never felt remorse for killing Condoluci, but he did regret hurting his own children. And while he says he is ‘guilty by law’, he felt justified in taking Condoluci’s life. “Once you do it a second time, like Mr. Condoluci had, you don’t get a third time. You don’t get another chance to move into the neighborhood,” Fairbanks said. 

Fairbanks Sentenced

He never tested his theory that a jury would never convict him. He pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, receiving 40 to 70 years in prison. He is serving his time at Nebraska State Penitentiary. He becomes eligible for parole in 2040.

Public Opinion Divided

Fairbanks received as much support as criticism at the time of the murder. Some people said he "did the world a favor" by shooting a sex offender, while others held firm on to the idea that two wrongs do not make a right. Do you think Fairbanks deserved the sentence he received?

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