A jury recommended death in a Central Florida mass murder case, the deadliest mass murder in Volusia County history.
After a week and a half resentencing hearing, a Volusia County jury voted in favor of the death penalty on all counts for Troy Victorino and Jerone Hunter for the deadliest mass murder in Volusia County history.
Victorino and Hunter, now 48 and 38, were convicted and originally sentenced to death in 2006 for breaking into a Deltona home, stabbing and beating six people and a dog to death with baseball bats in 2004. Their two co-defendants, Michael Salas and Robert Cannon, were sentenced to life in prison.
While Victorino and Hunter’s convictions stood, their death sentences were nullified in 2018 after Florida Courts began requiring unanimous jury recommendations in death penalty cases.
On April 20, 2023, a jury was seated for the resentencing of the defendants. However, on the very same day, Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill authorizing a new non-unanimous sentencing standard of 8-4 in capital cases, which caused a mistrial.
Last month, a new jury was seated for this resentencing and proceeded under the new law.
Although the jury makes this recommendation, the final sentencing decision will be up to the judge. The Honorable Dawn Nichols will pronounce sentence after another hearing at a later date.
“We are one step closer to making justice a reality for the victims and their families,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said about the case.
Assistant State Attorneys Heatha Trigones and Andrew Urbanak successfully argued for the death penalty for the state.
