Samuel Derrick was sentenced to death by the State of Florida for the murder of Rama Sharma’. According to court documents Samuel Derrick would stab to death Rama Sharma during the course of a robbery. Samuel Derrick allegedly told a friend that he had murdered Shama. Samuel Derrick would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
Samuel Derrick 2021 Information
| DC Number: | 097494 |
|---|---|
| Name: | DERRICK, SAMUEL J |
| Race: | WHITE |
| Sex: | MALE |
| Birth Date: | 04/05/1967 |
| Initial Receipt Date: | 07/25/1988 |
| Current Facility: | UNION C.I. |
| Current Custody: | MAXIMUM |
| Current Release Date: | DEATH SENTENCE |
Samuel Derrick More News
On June 25, 1987, at 6:30 a.m., Harry Lee found the body of Rama Sharma in a path in the woods near Sharma’s Moon Lake General Store in Pasco County. Blood trailed from the body to a blood puddle twenty feet away. The police found a piece of a tee shirt near the body as well as two sets of tennis shoe prints, one set belonging to Harry Lee. The medical examiner found that Sharma had died from over thirty-one stab wounds and that he had died approximately ten to fifteen minutes after the last wound was inflicted.
Derrick was implicated in the murder by his friend, David Lowry. At trial Lowry testified that he and his wife visited Derrick on June 24 at Derrick’s mother’s house and that Derrick had knives out. Lowry drove Derrick to another friend’s house, at which time Lowry noticed that Derrick had a knife in the back of his pants. At the time, Derrick was wearing a tee shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes. The friend’s house was about two blocks from Sharma’s store. At approximately 1:30 a.m. on June 25, Derrick showed up at Lowry’s house in a sweaty condition and without a shirt. When Lowry drove Derrick home, Derrick told him that he had robbed the Moon Lake General Store. Derrick gave Lowry twenty dollars for gas. Later that day, after Lowry heard that Sharma had been killed, he asked Derrick whether he had killed him. Derrick admitted killing Sharma, stating that he had stabbed him thirteen times because Sharma kept screaming. Lowry testified that Derrick “kind of laughed and said it was easy.” Lowry also noted that on June 25 Derrick had a new car that was worth approximately $200-$300. On June 29, Lowry notified the sheriff’s department about Derrick’s involvement in the murder.
After being arrested and advised of his rights, Derrick denied any knowledge of the murder to Detective Vaughn. Vaughn then advised Derrick that they had a witness, David Lowry. After denying that Lowry had told them anything, Derrick demanded, “I’d like to have him in front of me. Let him tell me.” Vaughn then brought Lowry and Derrick into the same room and Derrick confessed to the murder. He stated that he went to Sharma’s store to rob it and jumped Sharma as he left the store. Sharma turned to run back to the store. When Derrick grabbed him, Sharma turned around and saw that it was Derrick. Sharma started screaming and Derrick stabbed him “to shut him up.” Derrick then took approximately $360 from Sharma’s pocket. Derrick also admitted that he tore off a piece of his tee shirt at the scene because it had blood on it. After the murder, Derrick threw the knife into the woods and ran to Lowry’s house. Derrick also stated that he lost the money and that he threw his shoes and some clothing into a pond. The police took Derrick to the Moon Lake General Store, and he showed them where he had attacked and murdered Sharma. The police never located the clothing, shoes, or knife.
Derrick v. State, 581 So.2d 31, 33 (Fla.1991). The jury found Derrick guilty of first-degree murder. During the penalty phase, Derrick presented witnesses who testified that he was a good husband, father, and human being and that he had suffered physical and sexual abuse as a child. The jury recommended death by an eight-to-four vote. In following the jury’s recommendation and sentencing Derrick to death, the judge found four aggravators 1 but only one statutory mitigating circumstance-the defendant was twenty years old at the time of the murder. The judge did not find any nonstatutory mitigating circumstances. See id. at 34.
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/fl-supreme-court/1490040.html
