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Christian Cruz Florida Death Row

Christian Cruz was sentenced to death by the State of Florida for the kidnapping and murder of a man. According to court documents Christian Cruz and Justen Charles would kidnap Christopher Jemery who would later be fatally shot in the head. Christian Cruz would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death.

Florida Death Row Inmate List

Christian Cruz 2021 Information

DC Number:	D51268
Name:	CRUZ, CHRISTIAN
Race:	WHITE
Sex:	MALE
Birth Date:	07/23/1993
Initial Receipt Date:	01/07/2014
Current Facility:	UNION C.I.
Current Custody:	MAXIMUM
Current Release Date:	DEATH SENTENCE

Christian Cruz More News

Christian Cruz was sentenced to death Wednesday for kidnapping and killing a Deltona man wrongly targeted during a drug deal.

Cruz, 26, and Justen Charles, 30, teamed up to kidnap and kill 25-year-old Christopher Jemery in Deltona on Aug. 26, 2013. The men were both convicted of first-degree murder and other charges in two separate trials by two separate juries.

The jury in Charles’ trial recommended life in prison for him on Nov. 1. But the jury in Cruz’s trial recommended Cruz be put to death.

Investigators believe Cruz was the triggerman who shot Jemery in the head with a .22-caliber pistol.

Circuit Judge Raul Zambrano followed the jury recommendation and sentenced Cruz to death during a hearing at the S. James Foxman Justice Center.

“For the offense of first-degree murder and felony murder of Christopher Jemery, you are hereby adjudicated guilty,” Zambrano said, “and sentenced and committed to the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections to be put to death in the manner prescribed by law.”

Cruz showed now reaction at learning he would join the other 340 people on death row awaiting execution by lethal injection.

Cruz sat with his hands handcuffed and wearing an orange jail jumpsuit between his two attorneys, Clyde Taylor Jr. and his son Clyde Taylor III.

At Zambrano’s pronouncement of the death sentence, Taylor Jr. leaned over and wrote something on a legal pad. Cruz looked over at what he was writing but showed no reaction.

Zambrano also sentenced Cruz to life in prison for each of the three other charges he was convicted of: burglary while armed, robbery with a firearm and kidnapping.

While the jury recommended death for Cruz, Zambrano could have overruled the jury and sentenced him to life.

But a judge cannot overrule a jury when they recommend life in prison, as in Charles’ case.

Taylor Jr. said after the hearing that he assumed the fact that Cruz received a death sentence while Charles got life would be an issue in Cruz’s appeal, which will be handled by other attorneys.

Several of Jemery’ relatives were in the courtroom. A woman who identified herself as Jemery’s grandmother but declined to give her name said after the hearing that justice had been served.

In a statement, 7th Circuit State Attorney R.J. Larizza said that “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim’s family during this difficult time. The death sentence will not undo the harm and suffering of the victim and his family, but it does hold the defendant accountable for his viscous and tortuous murder.”

Cruz and Charles were looking for drugs and money when they burst into the apartment at the Belltower Apartments in Deltona in 2013. A small time drug dealer had once lived in the apartment but had since moved out even though he still returned to the apartment on occasion to deal drugs.

Jemery was not dealing drugs but had met the drug dealer who had offered him and Jemery’s fiancee a place to stay at the apartment until the couple got their own place. But Jemery was worried that the area was not safe so he had asked his fiancee to take their daughter and spend the night elsewhere on the night Cruz and Charles burst in.

Cruz and Charles beat and stomped Jemery, tied him up and threw him in the trunk of his rental car. Then they drove him to an industrial park where Jemery was shot in the head and left in some bushes.

Just 10 days after the killing, Cruz and Charles robbed a Hungry Howie’s in Sanford at gunpoint, which was the violent felony in the aggravating circumstances. Cruz pistol-whipped the restaurant’s manager during the robbery. The jurors in both trials were shown security video of the armed robbery.

“Again, horribly sad in this case is that Mr. Jemery was an innocent victim not involved in the drug trade,” Zambrano wrote in his order. “He didn’t have drugs or the proceeds from drug sales to offer the defendants.”

https://www.news-journalonline.com/news/20191218/killer-in-deltona-kidnapping-murder-sentenced-to-death

Quentin Truehill Florida Death Row

Quentin Truehill was sentenced to death by the State of Florida for a kidnapping and murder. According to court documents Quentin Truehill and two other men broke out of a Louisiana jail and would be involved in numerous crimes through out their escape that ended with the kidnapping and murder of Vincent Binder. Quentin Truehill was arrested, convicted and sentenced to death

Florida Death Row Inmate List

Quentin Truehill 2021 Information

DC Number:	148538
Name:	TRUEHILL, QUENTIN M
Race:	BLACK
Sex:	MALE
Birth Date:	04/16/1987
Initial Receipt Date:	05/19/2014
Current Facility:	UNION C.I.
Current Custody:	MAXIMUM
Current Release Date:	DEATH SENTENCE

Quentin Truehill More News

He’s one of three men involved in a multi-state crime spree that started with an escape from a Louisiana jail and included a murder in St. Augustine- and he will not get off death row.

The Florida Supreme Court has affirmed the convictions and death sentence for Quentin Truehill, who was charged with kidnapping and killing 29-year-old Vincent Binder. The trial took place in St. Johns County, where Binder’s remains were found.

Truehill and two cell mates broke out in March 2010 after holding an officer hostage and attacking another with a shank. He was serving time for manslaughter in the shooting of a man at the time. The trio stole a truck that contained tools and knives, a truck that would ultimately be found in Miami with a large amount of evidence inside.

Arguments presented at trial show the three men stole a purse in Louisiana to fund part of the journey, then attacking a woman in Pensacola, severely injuring her and taking her money. In Tallahassee, they tried to rob a man, who got away, then stole a woman’s purse, and- within hours of that- abducting Binder.

Binder’s account was used for purchases across the state, including in Miami, where a teller became suspicious because the suspects were trying to withdraw $1,300 from Binder’s account. The suspects had to ditch the truck, when they accidentally were locked out and couldn’t find the keys. Police later found it with a smashed window, and a range of evidence inside.

Binder’s decomposed body was found off I-95 in St. Augustine. Investigators believe he was killed in the field where he was found. Court records show Binder suffered multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma to the head, as well as many defensive wounds.

Truehill was convicted and sentenced to death by a unanimous jury, but he had six issues on appeal which were considered by the state’s high court. The claims included that some jurors were improperly striken, that evidence of his other crimes should not have been introduced, that some of the actions by prosecutors should have warranted a new trial, and that the state’s death penalty sentencing scheme is unconstitutional.

The Florida Supreme Court ruling rejected the appeals, with the strongest concern expressed during their analysis of a portion of the state’s closing argument. The ruling says the prosecutor put a slide on the screen with a picture of the victim and a caption saying “The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is the duty of the living to do so for them”. The prosecutor only got through reading the word for before the defense objected and the slide was quickly removed. The judge agreed that the move was an improper appeal to the jury’s sympathy, but didn’t issue any warning to the jury- believing that most didn’t see the full slide or capture the statement because of how quickly the defense objected. The Florida Supreme Court says they “strenuously condemn such tactics”, but agree that the incident was quick enough that it should not have greatly prejudiced jurors.

The ongoing dispute over Florida’s death penalty sentencing law was also raised on appeal. More than a year ago, the law was struck down by the Supreme Court, because a judge was given some discretion. Florida lawmakers reworked the guidelines to make it a decision on the jury, but the Florida Supreme Court struck down the law, because it didn’t require the jury to be unanimous. The new law is being crafted in the upcoming state legislative session, but the Florida Supreme Court ruling issued on Truehill’s case Thursday says his death sentence stands regardless.

“We emphasize the unanimous jury recommendation of death. The unanimous jury recommendation of death provides this Court with the evidence necessary to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that a rational jury would have unanimously found that sufficient aggravating factors existed to impose the death penalty and that those aggravating factors outweighed the mitigating circumstances presented,” the ruling says.

One of Truehill’s co-conspirators, Kentrell Johnson, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death. His case is pending appeal. The third suspect, Peter Hughes, pleaded guilty to first degree murder and was sentenced to life without parole.

https://www.wokv.com/news/local/death-sentence-upheld-for-one-trio-behind-crime-spree-murder-augustine/TbhTKeQ3k547AgdjPwcTnI/

Dontae Morris Florida Death Row

Dontae Morris was sentenced to death by the State of Florida for five murders including the deaths of two police officers. According to court documents Dontae Morris would shoot and kill three people in the Tampa Bay area over a month period, 21-year-old Derek Anderson, 42-year-old Rodney Jones and 25-year-old Harold Wright. When two police officers attempted to arrest Dontae Morris he would shoot and kill police officers Jeffrey Kocab and David Curtis. Dontae Morris would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death.

Florida Death Row Inmate List

Dontae Morris 2021 Information

DC Number:	T36280
Name:	MORRIS, DONTAE R
Race:	BLACK
Sex:	MALE
Birth Date:	08/24/1985
Initial Receipt Date:	06/03/2014
Current Facility:	UNION C.I.
Current Custody:	MAXIMUM
Current Release Date:	DEATH SENTENCE

Dontae Morris More News

Dontae Morris will be sentenced to life in prison for the 2010 murder of Derek Anderson, but will remain on death row for killing two Tampa police officers.

In court Friday, Assistant State Attorney Scott Harmon announced that the state will allow Morris to be re-sentenced to life in prison for the Anderson murder. The move comes after a recent Florida Supreme Court decision which concluded that death sentences cannot be reinstated in cases where a jury was not unanimous.

A jury voted 10-2 in favor of the death penalty for Morris in his 2015 trial for the Anderson murder. A separate jury in 2014 voted 12-0 to give Morris death for killing Officers David Curtis and Jeffrey Kocab

https://www.tampabay.com/news/hillsborough/2021/02/26/dontae-morris-to-get-new-life-sentence-in-third-tampa-murder/

Daniel Craven Florida Death Row

Daniel Craven was sentenced to death by the State of Florida for a prison murder. According to court documents Daniel Craven was already serving a life sentence for murder when he would stab his cellmate John H. Anderson repeatedly causing his death. Daniel Craven was convicted and sentenced to death.

Florida Death Row Inmate List

Daniel Craven 2021 Information

DC Number:	V24323
Name:	CRAVEN, DANIEL J JR
Race:	WHITE
Sex:	MALE
Birth Date:	01/20/1986
Initial Receipt Date:	09/02/2014
Current Facility:	UNION C.I.
Current Custody:	MAXIMUM
Current Release Date:	DEATH SENTENCE

Daniel Craven More News

A Graceville Correctional Facility inmate has been convicted of repeatedly stabbing his cellmate to death with a shank. However, his trial continues as prosecutors seek the death penalty.

Daniel Jacob Craven Jr., 32, was found guilty Thursday of first-degree murder. He was tried this week for killing his cellmate, John H. Anderson, by repeatedly stabbing him with a shank at Graceville Correctional Facility on June 28, 2015. Craven already was serving a life sentence for a 2011 conviction of first-degree murder; he now will go before the same jury to determine whether capital punishment will be the sentence for the most recent killing.

Craven had told a correctional officer at GCF he killed his “bunkie” about 2 a.m. the morning of June 28, 2015. An investigation through Florida Department of Law Enforcement began with Craven giving specific instructions to a shower drain where authorities could find the murder weapon, which they did.

It was not the first time Craven had killed.

He was serving a life sentence for killing a romantic rival and burning the body in the yard of his Apopka home in April 2011.

According to court records, Craven boasted to investigators about the violent killing of Ronald Justice, whose marriage Craven had broken up by having an affair with his wife.

Craven attacked Justice on April 6, 2011, at a home where Justice was squatting and beat him with a baseball bat as Justice begged for his life.

Craven went on to handcuff Justice, drown him in a dog bowl, then wrap his body and take it to the house near Apopka, where he burned it for several days in a pit in which he frequently burned furniture and trash.

In a recorded conversation, Craven bragged, “I wouldn’t have burned and killed [Justice] if I didn’t know what I was doing,” adding if he was arrested, “I’d get a lawyer… pro bono just like Casey Anthony.”

Craven’s sister later told detectives Craven had claimed killing four other people in Florida, something detectives continue to explore, though records show no additional arrests.

Craven also received a bevy of additional charges a month ago after he reportedly had tied 6-inch metal shanks to his hands in preparation as officers lined up outside his cell. Minutes after breaching the door, one of the correctional officers was carried out almost lifeless, turning purple and frothing at the mouth. A second officer was injured in the encounter with Craven, who jail officials said aimed to kill the officers. Both officers survived.

Craven was charged May 17 with two counts of attempted homicide and two counts of aggravated battery on law enforcement.

https://www.newsherald.com/news/20180628/graceville-inmate-convicted-of-fatally-stabbing-cellmate

Randy Tundidor Florida Death Row

Randy Tundidor was sentenced to death by the State of Florida for a violent home invasion that ended in murder. According to court documents Randy Tundidor and his son Randy Tundidor Jr would go over to the victims home, Joseph Morrissey, 46, who would be brutally murdered before his home was robbed and set on fire. Randy Tundidor would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death.

Florida Death Row Inmate List

Randy Tundidor 2021 Information

DC Number:	L97205
Name:	TUNDIDOR, RANDY W
Race:	WHITE
Sex:	MALE
Birth Date:	12/04/1966
Initial Receipt Date:	11/17/2014
Current Facility:	UNION C.I.
Current Custody:	MAXIMUM
Current Release Date:	DEATH SENTENCE

Randy Tundidor More News

Spared the death penalty after taking part in the brutal home-invasion murder of a Nova Southeastern University professor two years ago, Randy H. Tundidor, 24, was sentenced Friday in a Broward courtroom to 40 years in prison.

It was a lighter sentence than requested by the wife of the victim. Linda Morrissey had asked that Tundidor spend the rest of his life in prison.

“The entire family believes that Randy Tundidor Jr. deserves to die,″ Linda Morrissey told the judge before sentencing. “We recommend that he receive life in prison without the possibility of parole.″

However Broward Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Imperato said the son’s willingness to testify against his father should be taken into consideration.

“I do believe without him the state would not have had a case.″

Tundidor testified in April during the first-degree murder trial of his father, Randy W. Tundidor, 46, that he thought they were going to the Plantation home of Joseph Morrissey, the elder Tundidor’s landlord, to scare him on the night of April 5, 2010.

The elder Tundidor was upset with Morrissey and wanted to send a message after receiving a letter from Morrissey that day demanding overdue rent, according to the younger Tundidor’s testimony.

But the crime quickly escalated to a home invasion, murder and arson that shocked South Florida for its brutality.

The elder Tundidor, of Plantation, was found guilty in May by a Broward County jury of 10 felony criminal charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, armed kidnapping, burglary and arson.

In October, the jury of six men and six women reconvened to hear testimony and begin deliberating whether to recommend life in prison or Death Row for the 2010 murder of Joseph Morrissey, 46, the Nova Southwestern University assistant professor and science researcher who rented a town house to Tundidor.

Tundidor’s attorneys said their client told them to not put on witnesses to speak on his behalf.

Defense attorney Richard Rosenbaum said he was prepared to advocate Tundidor be sentenced to life in prison, but his client did not want him to do that.

Imperato will have the final say on Tundidor’s punishment. Rarely do judges stray from a jury’s recommendation. Though a status hearing for the elder Tundidor is scheduled for Dec. 12, Imperato’s decision likely won’t come until early next year.

Jurors reached their guilty verdict against the elder Tundidor after almost two weeks of trial that included dramatic testimony from the victim’s widow, Tundidor’s two sons and his girlfriend.

In August 2011, Randy H. Tundidor, the eldest son, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree murder to avoid the death penalty.

During his father’s trial, Randy H. Tundidor testified that he was a drug-addicted drifter who broke into the Morrisseys’ home, held the couple at gunpoint, bound their hands and feet with plastic ties, rummaged through their house for valuables and forced them to drive to an ATM to withdraw cash.

But it was his father, the younger Tundidor said, who plotted the crime and fatally stabbed Morrissey.

After stabbing Morrissey to death, the elder Tundidor turned his attention to Linda Morrissey and the couple’s young son.

“He said, ’They’ve got to go, too,‴ Randy H. Tundidor testified in April.

But, the younger Tundidor told the jury he couldn’t kill them.

“I can’t do that,″ he said he told his father. “I can’t kill no kid.″

The elder Tundidor became upset, his son testified, and went into the Morrisseys’ garage, where he instructed his son to grab a gasoline can.

Randy W. Tundidor poured it around Morrissey’s body and the kitchen area, his son said, and then he lit it a paper towel on fire, and dropped it on the gasoline while Linda Morrissey — still bound at her hands and feet — and son Patrick, then 5, remained in the master bedroom.

The younger Tundidor testified that his father murdered Morrissey with a 16-inch Bowie knife, and that after the crime the elder Tundidor ground the blade with a power tool. Randy H. Tundidor said he threw the murder weapon in a lake near the townhouse his father was renting from Morrissey.

Police never recovered the Bowie knife, and prosecutors presented no physical evidence placing the elder Tundidor at the Morrisseys’ house on the night of the murder.

The younger Tundidor, though, was tied to the crime scene through DNA evidence he left on the gasoline can cap, and Joseph Morrissey’s blood, which was found on the sleeve of his T-shirt.

Still, prosecutors presented the jury with plenty of evidence pointing to the elder Tundidor as the killer.

Among that evidence are letters the elder Tundidor wrote to his son while in prison, after the younger Tundidor agreed to testify against his father.

Though the content of the letters were not read into the record at trial, the younger Tundidor said his father was instructing him to “cover up certain things” and was trying to persuade him not to testify.

The younger Tundidor initially refused to implicate his father, but said he changed his mind after realizing that the elder Tundidor wanted to blame his sons for the crime.

“The fact that he would sit here and say it’s me and my brother who did this, that’s wrong,″ he said. “You shouldn’t hurt your kids. A father’s job is to protect his kids.″

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/article/20121207/NEWS/812020446