A jury decided that Zephen Xaver should get the death penalty for killing five women in a Florida bank in 2019. The final choice now rests with Judge Angela Cowden, who may accept the jury’s recommendation or give Xaver life in prison without parole. Xaver, 27, showed no emotion as the jury’s decision was read after a short deliberation.
Xaver had previously pleaded guilty to murdering Cynthia Watson, Marisol Lopez, Ana Pinon-Williams, Debra Cook, and Jessica Montague during the attack at SunTrust Bank in Sebring. He ordered them to lie down and shot each one in the head as they asked why. Prosecutors argued that Xaver planned the killings for years and deserved the death penalty for his deliberate and horrific actions.
Defense attorneys described Xaver as mentally ill, saying he had heard voices urging him to harm himself and others since childhood. They asked the jury to consider his mental health issues and show him mercy by sparing his life. During the trial, details emerged about Xaver’s troubled past, including previous threats of violence and struggles with mental health treatment.
The community and prosecutors emphasized the loss suffered by the victims’ families, focusing on their lives and the impact of the tragedy. The sentencing hearing will take place after further proceedings next month.