Sept. 12
FLORIDA:
State seeks death penalty for Chapman
State Attorney Steve Russell will seek the death penalty against Jeremy
Chapman, who is accused of killing Annamarie Cruz Randazzo, 17, and John
Hardin, 66, both of Cape Coral.
Russell filed notices to seek the death penalty in both pending 1st degree
murder cases.
Chapman, 23, was indicted by the Lee County Grand Jury Aug. 23 and is
charged with 1st -degree murder in both cases.
Chapman is also charged with kidnapping, sexual battery and arson in
connection with the murder of Randazzo.
The Cape Coral teenager was reported missing by her family on July 22. Her
charred body was found two weeks later in Lehigh Acres.
Joshua Henninger, 17, of Cape Coral, is also charged in the Randazzo case.
He is not eligible for the death penalty because of a United States
Supreme Court ruling that prevents a state from sentencing a person under
18 to death. If convicted, Henninger faces life in prison.
Hardins body was found in his Cape Coral home on Aug. 6.
Trial dates in both cases against Chapman have been tentatively set for
Dec. 5, 2005.
(source: The News-Press)
