Tina Brown — black, age 39

Sentenced to death in Escambia County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (12-0)
Date of crime: March 24, 2010
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Brown, along with Heather Lee (age 27) and Britnee Miller (age 16) lured Audreanna Zimmerman (age 19) into the woods before beating her with a crowbar, shocking her with a stun gun and setting her on fire. Zimmerman escaped and called 911. She fell into a medically induced coma for two weeks before passing away. Defense attorneys argued that a life a drugs and sexual abuse influenced Brown’s state of mind at the time.
Sources: Pensacola News (FL) 6/11/10 (2010 WLNR 11933965), Pensacola News (FL) 6/27/12 (2012 WLNR 13463686), Pensacola News (FL) 9/29/12 (2012 WLNR 20793438).

Johnny Mack “Sketo” Calhoun — white, age 32

Sentenced to death in Holmes County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (9-3)
Date of crime: December 16, 2010
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Calhoun was convicted of kidnapping Mia Chay Brown (age 24), bound her with duct tape, put her into the trunk of her car and the next day set the car on fire burning her to death inside of it.
Sources: Dothan Eagle (AL) 3/1/12 (2012 WLNR 4532483), News Herald (FL) 4/4/12 (2012 WLNR 7149703), Jackson County Floridian (FL) 5/22/12 (2012 WLNR 10802895).

Marvin Cannon — black, age 29

Sentenced to death in Gadsden County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (9-3)
Date of crime: December 24, 2010
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Zachariah Morgan and Sean Neel picked up Cannon and Anton McMillan and drove to a rural area under the pretense of buying corn. Instead, Cannon and McMillan robbed and stabbed the two men. Neal recovered from his injuries but Morgan, who was stabbed over 30 times, did not. Cannon was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, armed robbery with a deadly weapon, attempted armed robbery with a deadly weapon, and arson of a vehicle. Defense attorneys cited depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and alcohol abuse as mitigating factors.
Sources: WCTV 11/15/12 (http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/Cannon-Gets-Death-Penalty–172170681.html), Jackson County Floridian (FL) 11/16/12 (2012 WLNR 24443667).

Carl Dausch — white, age 29

Sentenced to death in Sumter County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (8-4)
Date of crime: July 15, 1987
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Dausch was hitchhiking and was picked up by Adrian Renard Mobley (age 27), who was later found on the side of the road hog-tied, raped, and beaten to death. DNA in Mobley’s car linked Dausch to the crime years later. Dausch was convicted in this cold case while he was in prison inmate serving 60 years on an unrelated rape and battery conviction.
Sources: Daily Commercial (FL) 12/15/11 (2011 WLNR 25795253), Daily Commercial (FL) 2/5/12 (2012 WLNR 2499907), Daily Commercial (FL) 4/27/12 (2012 WLNR 8853033).

Leon Davis, Jr.–black, age 29 (Davis also received two death sentences in 2011 for two other murders–see Florida 2011 page)

Sentenced to death in Polk County, Florida
By: a judge after defendant waived jury sentencing
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Davis attempted to rob a convenience store just as it was closing; the front door was locked. Davis fired a shot at a clerk inside (missing him), then went after two clerks who were changing the marquee by the street–Pravinkumar Patel and Dashrath Patel. Davis shot both of them in the head, killing them. The trial judge found Davis’s mitigating evidence of a traumatic childhood, mental problems, and being a good father and husband insufficient to call for a lesser sentence in light of Davis’s history of violent crime.
Sources: The Ledger 11/30/12.

William Roger Davis III — white, age 30

Sentenced to death in Seminole County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (7-5)
Date of crime: October 29, 2009
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Davis was convicted of abducting Fabiana Malave (age 19) from a car lot, and then raping and choking her to death. Malave’s body and severed head were found in Davis’ car. Defense attorneys argued Davis was not guilty by reason of insanity. However, prosecutors were able to show Davis had a high IQ and was aware of what he was doing.
Sources: Orlando Sentinel (FL) 2/2/11 (2011 WLNR 2088804), Orlando Sentinel (FL) 5/4/12 AP Alert – FL 00:27:21.

Humberto Delgado — Latino, age 33

Sentenced to death in Hillsborough County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (8-4)
Date of crime: August 19, 2009
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Police Corporal Mike Roberts (age 38) was shot and killed after trying to stop Delgado as he pushed a shopping cart in a high-crime area of the city. Defense attorney’s argued that he was mentally ill, suffering from a delusional psychotic mental breakdown at the time, and should be spared.
Sources: Tampa Tribune (FL) 11/16/11 (2011 WLNR 23826289), Tampa Bay Times (FL) 11/22/11 (2011 WLNR 24201828), 2/10/12 AP Alert – FL 15:55:10.

Patrick Evans — white, age 41

Sentenced to death in Pinellas County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (9-3) for Elizabeth and (8-4) for Jerry Taylor
Date of crime: December 20, 2008
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Evans was in the midst of a divorce from Elizabeth (age 44) when he went to his wife’s condo and confronted her and Jerry B. Taylor (age 43). He proceeded to shoot them both in the neck. This case was determined to be inconsistent with a heat-of-passion defense as Evans claimed he had nothing to do with the killings. However, a 911 call made by his wife moments before the shooting identified him as the killer.
Sources: Tampa Tribune (FL) 11/10/11 (2011 WLNR 23545752), Tampa Bay Times (FL) 7/28/12 (2012 WLNR 15987389), Tampa Tribune (FL) 7/28/12 (2012 WLNR 15988854).

Timothy Wayne Fletcher — white, age 25

Sentenced to death in St. Johns County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (8-4)
Date of crime: April 15, 2009
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Fletcher and Doni Ray Brown escaped from jail and stole two vehicles. They then went to Fletcher’s step-grandmother’s, Helen Key Goose (age 66), house where they robbed and killed her. Fletcher was in jail for three counts of failure to appear for aggravated assault. Fletcher was ultimately charged with escape, first-degree murder, home invasion robbery and two counts of grand theft of a motor vehicle.
Sources: 8/5/09 AP Alert – FL 18:30:21, Florida Times-Union (FL) 10/12/12 (2012 WLNR 21713539), St. Augustine Records (FL) 10/13/12 (2012 WLNR 21762615).

Robert Hobart — white, age 41

Sentenced to death in Santa Rosa County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (7-5)
Date of crime: September 22, 2010
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Hobart was convicted of the shooting murder of Robert Hamm (age 41) and Tracie Tolbert (age 43). Cellphone records showed Hobart intended to rob the pair of their Roxicodone pills, a prescription painkiller.
Sources: Pensacola News Journal (FL) 10/19/12 (2012 WLNR 22284697), Pensacola News Journal (FL) 11/30/12 (2012 WLNR 25612157), Pensacola News Journal (FL) 12/1/12 AP Alert – FL 16:33:58.

Timothy Hurst — black, age 19 (re-sentence after appellate reversal)

Sentenced to death in Escambia County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (7-5)
Date of crime: May 2, 1998
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Hurst was convicted of killing Cynthia Harrison (age 28) by stabbing her more than 60 times and throwing her body into a Popeyes freezer where they worked. Hurst killed Harrison in an attempt to cover his tracks after robbing the restaurant. Hurst’s first death sentence was reversed because evidence of his alleged low mental functioning was not admitted at the penalty phase.
Sources: Times-Picayune (LA) 3/5/12 (2012 WLNR 4746853), Pensacola News Journal (FL) 8/17/12 (2012 WLNR 17527219), Times-Picayune (LA) 8/18/12 (2012 WLNR 17511998).

John William Kalisz — white, age 55

Sentenced to death in Hernando County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (12-0)
Date of crime: January 14, 2010
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Kaliz was found guilty of murder, attempted murder and burglary charges in connection with the slaying of Deborah Tillotson and her sister, Kathryn Donovan. Also shot during Kaliz’s rampage were Amy Green (age 35) and Donovan’s daughter, Manessa (age 21). Both survived after undergoing emergency surgery. Kaliz then drove to a gas station where he opened fire on pursuing deputies, killing Captain Chad Reed. The defense argued that Kaliz struggled with alcohol addiction, spent much of his life homeless, and two days prior to the shootings lost everything he owned in a propane explosion.
Sources: Tampa Bay Times (FL) 2/7/10 (http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/two-dramatic-u-turns-for-john-kalisz-accused-in-deadly-hernando-county/1071556), Hernando Today (FL) 1/26/12 (2012 WLNR 1735338), ABC News 3/6/12 (http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_citrus_hernando/at-death-sentencing-judge-tells-john-kalisz-you-have-forfeited-your-right-to-live-at-all).

Gregory David Larkin — white, age 35

Sentenced to death in Nassau County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (12-0)
Date of crime: April 18, 2009
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Larkin attacked his mother with a baseball bat, Myra Larkin (age 73) while she was watching a movie before going to the garage and attacking his father, Richard Larkin (age 75). Larkin had no history of drug, alcohol, physical or sexual abuse.
Sources: Fernandina Beach News (FL) 3/1/12 (http://www.fbnewsleader.com/articles/2012/03/03/news/00newslarkinfamilydivided.txt), Florida Times-Union (FL) 3/15/12 AP Alert – FL 20:22:25, Florida Times-Union (FL) 3/15/12 (http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2012-03-15/story/man-sentenced-death-2009-killings-his-nassau-parents-baseball-bat).

Rodney Lowe — black, age 19 (re-sentence after appellate reversal)

Sentenced to death in Indian River County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (12-0)
Date of crime: July 3, 1990
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Lowe was found guilty of shooting Donna Burnell (age 30) in front of her 3 year-old nephew during an attempted armed robbery. Lowe claimed he killed her because she knew him and he didn’t want to go back to prison. His first death sentence was reversed for ineffective assistance of counsel.
Sources: Stuart News (FL) 9/20/11 (2011 WLNR 18879045), Vero Beach Press (FL) 9/24/11 (2011 WLNR 19542050), St. Lucie News Tribune (FL) 10/29/11 (2011 WLNR 22413371).

Bill Marquardt — white, age 24

Sentenced to death in Sumter County, Florida
By: a judge (Marquardt waived his right to let the jury sentence him)
Date of crime: March 15, 2000
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Marquardt was convicted of the shooting and stabbing deaths of Margarita Ruiz (age 72) and her daughter, Esperanza Wells (age 42), while Ruiz’s 1 and 3 year-old grandchildren hid under the dinning room table. Defense attorneys pointed out that Marquardt was a paranoid schizophrenic whose life should have been spared. Marquardt had been found not guilty of his mother’s murder earlier in 2000.
Sources: Daily Commercial (FL) 12/1/11 (2011 WLNR 24805879), Orlando Sentinel (FL) 3/4/12 (2012 WLNR 4717987), Orlando Sentinel (FL) 3/4/12 (2012 WLNR 4717993).

Arthur Martin — black, age 39

Sentenced to death in Duval County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (9-3)
Date of crime: October 2009
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Martin and Franklin Clay Batie (age 28) were at an apartment complex when they spotted Abdullah Daniels (age 19). Batie had been shot two days earlier and believed Daniels was the shooter. When Martin saw Daniels he ran over to his car and shot him 12 times. Martin had already served 10 years in prison for second-degree murder, robbery, and burglary.
Sources: Florida Times-Union (FL) 3/28/12 AP Alert – FL 22:02:33, Florida Times-Union (FL) 3/28/12 (http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2012-03-28/story/man-convicted-wednesday-jacksonville-murder-could-face-death-penalty).

Robert McCloud — black, age 27

Sentenced to death in Polk County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (8-4)
Date of crime: October 2009
Prosecution’s case/defense response: McCloud was found guilty in the shooting deaths of Tamiqa Taylor (age 26) and Dustin Freeman (age 23). Another victim, Wilkins Merilan (age 29) survived being shot. The motive behind the shootings was determined to be a drug-related home invasion.
Sources: Ledger (FL) 3/10/12 AP Alert – FL 00:16:47, Ledger (FL) 8/31/12 AP Alert – FL 22:03:25, 9/1/12 AP Alert – FL 10:31:10.

Thomas McCoy — white, age 41

Sentenced to death in Walton County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (11-1)
Date of crime: April 10, 2009
Prosecution’s case/defense response: McCoy was found guilty of shooting Curtis Brown (age 38) six times. Brown was angry that he couldn’t get rehired at a bottling company after resigning and had planned to kill a different employee by luring them to an area by reporting a false problem with a vending machine. When Brown showed up instead he decided to kill him because he hated him as well. Defense attorneys argued mitigating circumstance such as mental illness and his abusive father and sadistic grandmother as reasons his life should have been spared.
Sources: Northwest Florida Daily News (FL) 12/9/11 (2011 WLNR 25497686), Northwest Florida Daily News (FL) 12/10/11 (2011 WLNR 25558605), Northwest Florida Daily News (FL) 3/27/12 (2012 WLNR 6467404), Northwest Florida Daily News (FL) 3/27/12 AP Alert – FL 20:50:33.

Dale Middleton — white, age 36

Sentenced to death in Okeechobee County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (12-0)
Date of crime: July 28, 2009
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Middleton was convicted of first-degree murder, burglary while armed, and dealing in stolen property. While under the influence of methamphetamine and oxycodone, Middleton went to the home of Roberta Christensen (age 49) to ask for money. She said she didn’t have any and Middleton didn’t believe her so he attacked her. He stabbed her 35 times and stole a large screen television from the home.
Sources: Okeechobee News (FL) 8/8/12 (2012 WLNR 16864394), Stuart News (FL) 10/20/12 (2012 WLNR 22926977), Okeechobee News (FL) 10/21/12 (2012 WLNR 22534019).

Terence Oliver — black, age 33

Sentenced to death in Brevard County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (12-0)
Date of crime: July 22, 2009
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Oliver shot and killed Andrea Richardson (age 36) and Krystal Pinson (age 25). Oliver, who had a warrant for his arrest at the time, had intended to kill Pinson because she was a former girlfriend of his and he believed she was telling police where he was. He claimed he was unaware she was living with Richardson. Oliver was charged with two counts of premeditated first-degree murder, armed burglary of a dwelling while inflicting great bodily harm or death, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Prosecutors pointed out that Oliver had been convicted of other felonies, including robbery with a deadly weapon in 1995 and resisting arrest in 2002.
Sources: Florida Today (FL) 3/17/12 (2012 WLNR 5735580), Florida Today (FL) 3/20/12 (2012 WLNR 5922880), Florida Today (FL) 6/16/12 (2012 WLNR 12660772).

Terrance Phillips — black, age 18

Sentenced to death in Duval County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation
Date of crime: December 24, 2009
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Phillips was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, armed burglary, attempted armed robbery, and conspiracy. Phillips shot and killed Mateo Perez (age 26) and Renaldo Antunez-Padilla (age 30) during an attempt to rob the men. Phillips and his cousin, Antonio Lorenzo Baker (age 22) were led to the residence by Barbara Anders (age 20) and Shanise Bing (age 19), who had posed as prostitutes as part of the robbery plot. When the men fought back Phillips shot them both.
Sources: Florida Times-Union (FL) 1/20/12 (http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2012-01-20/story/jacksonville-man-guilty-christmas-eve-2009-double-murder-ambush), Florida State Attorney 4/23/12 (http://www.sao4th.com/2012/04/23/double-murderer-sent-to-death-row/).

James Robertson — white, age 42

Sentenced to death in Charlotte County, Florida
By: a judge
Date of crime: 2008
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Robertson had been in jail for nearly 30 years and in an attempt to get onto death row, strangled his cellmate Frank Hart in 2008. He had been incarcerated for multiple convictions including attempted murder, burglary, battery, and aggravated assault. He was convicted of second-degree murder for killing his cellmate so he proceeded to stab a prison guard in 2011 and tried to get his keys to kill another inmate. He later pled guilty to first-degree murder of his cellmate and said he would be forced to kill again unless placed on death row.
Sources: Charlotte Sun (FL) 12/19/12 (2012 WLNR 27317365), Charlotte Sun (FL)
12/19/12 (http://www.correctionsone.com/capital-punishment/articles/6069581-Fla-murderer-requests-receives-death-sentence/).

Billy Jim Sheppard, Jr. — black, age 21

Sentenced to death in Duval County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation
Date of crime: July 20, 2008
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Sheppard was convicted of shooting Patrick Stafford (age 39) and Monquell Deshaun Wimberly (age 16). The two were killed in separate incidents about four hours apart. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a felon, and grand theft auto. Defense attorneys claimed it was a case of misidentification and that the prosecution’s key witness, a security guard at the apartment complex where Wimberly was shot, had identified the wrong guy. However, a web of physical evidence, including shell casings, linked Sheppard to the crimes.
Sources: Florida Times-Union (FL) 1/11/12 (http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2012-01-10/story/man-trial-2-deaths-separate-duval-shootings-same-morning), Florida Times-Union (FL) 1/14/12 AP Alert – FL 00:36:57, 1/14/12 AP Alert – FL 11:31:07.

David Sparre — white, age 19

Sentenced to death in Duval County, Florida
By: a judge upon jury recommendation (12-0)
Date of crime: July 12, 2010
Prosecution’s case/defense response: Sparre met Tiara Pool (age 21) on Craigslist, then stabbed her 89 times with a kitchen knife after having sex. Sparre claimed the murder wasn’t premeditated and that he snapped after learning Pool was married with two young sons, who had been staying out of town with family. Defense attorneys also claimed Sparre was a victim of physical and emotional abuse as a child.
Sources: 12/14/11 UPI NewsTrack 00:00:00, Florida Times-Union (FL) 12/14/11 (2011 WLNR 25799424), Florida Times-Union (FL) 3/30/12 AP Alert – FL 18:51:06.