Three men were convicted of first-degree murder Tuesday for beating six people to death with baseball bats after the accused ringleader became angry that one of the victims had his Xbox video game system.
The jury took about six hours over two days to convict ringleader Troy Victorino, Michael Salas and Jerone Hunter, who all face the death penalty. The victims' bloodied and broken bodies were recorded in gory photos and videos that jurors and victims' relatives sat through in court.
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Prosecutors said Victorino, 29, organized the August 2004 attacks at a Deltona house after victim Erin Belanger, 22, had him evicted because he was living as a squatter in her grandmother's home. She kept some of his belongings, including clothing and the video game system.
Victorino testified he was drinking with friends at a restaurant at the time of the killings, although DNA evidence tied him to the scene. Salas and Hunter admitted hitting several victims, but denied inflicting the fatal blows.
State Attorney John Tanner, the lead prosecutor on the case, said he believed strong scientific evidence likely helped the jury.
"Less than six hours is not a hasty verdict; it's a well-deliberated verdict," Tanner said.
Defense attorneys, meanwhile, said their clients were shocked and disappointed at the trial's outcome. Victorino and Hunter both showed no reaction as the verdicts against them were read. Salas shook his head and cried.
Attorneys for the men said they would now focus on the sentencing phase, scheduled to begin Thursday and last two to three days. The jury of seven women and five men will recommend whether the men should receive life in prison or death by lethal injection.
"We still have to save Mr. Victorino's life. His life is on us," said Jeff Dowdy, one of Victorino's attorneys.
Victims' relatives in the courtroom mostly nodded as each guilty verdict was returned, and some held hands.
"We're really pleased with the verdict," said Mark Shukwit, the stepfather of victim Michelle Nathan.
A friend of Nathan's, Allyson Prevo, 28, said, "I want to jump up and down and thank God."
Nancy Cordero, the sister of victim Anthony Vega, said she hopes all the defendants except Salas receive the death penalty. She said Salas was the only one of the men who was "up front" with his story.
The victims, all friends, died from blunt force trauma to their heads after being hit several times, a medical examiner said. Their bodies were also cut and stabbed.
During closing arguments, defense attorneys for Hunter and Salas tried to shift the blame from their clients. Their attorneys said the pair were intimidated by the 6-foot-7-inch Victorino and wouldn't have entered the house if they had not been threatened and coerced by the 270-pound convicted felon. Prosecutors disputed that.
Hunter attorney Frank Bankowitz compared Victorino to serial killer Charles Manson, saying Victorino had power over the other two and "could tell them when to be, where to be, how to be."
Victorino's attorneys said their client was being unfairly blamed by the two other defendants. He testified that he had permission to be at the grandmother's home and that he was not angry with Belanger.
Evidence, however, linked Victorino to the scene. Crime analysts said DNA evidence showed a pair of Lugz boots stained with the blood of several victims belonged to Victorino. Bloody prints matching the boots were also found at the crime scene.
In addition to Belanger, Nathan, 19, and Vega, 34, the victims were Francisco Ayo-Roman; Roberto Gonzalez, 28, and Jonathan Gleason, 17.
A fourth defendant, Robert Cannon, 20, pleaded guilty in October to all the charges. But when he took the stand early in the trial, he refused to testify and said he wanted to withdraw his guilty plea because he was innocent. Chief Circuit Judge Bill Parsons hasn't decided whether he will allow the change.
The case was moved from DeLand to St. Augustine after Parsons determined he could not select an impartial jury because of intense news coverage.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Previous Stories:
- July 25, 2006: Jury Continues Deliberating In Xbox Trial
- July 24, 2006: Closing Arguments Expected In Xbox Trial
- July 19, 2006: Victorino Denies Being Involved In Xbox Slayings
- July 18, 2006: Officer: Salas Bragged About Xbox Slayings
- July 19, 2006: Victorino Denies Being Involved In Xbox Slayings
- July 17, 2006: Investigator: 2 Admit Beating 6 People In Xbox Trial
- July 6, 2006: Jurors Being Chosen To Hear Xbox Murder Trial
- September 11, 2004: Second Suspect Pleads Not Guilty to Six Murders In Deltona
- September 9, 2004: Masked Men Rob Deltona Grocery Store
- August 24, 2004: Prosecutors To Seek Death Penalty In Deltona Slayings
- August 19, 2004: Volusia Cracks Down On Unlicensed Contractors
- August 11, 2004: Lake Searched In Deltona Slayings Investigation
- August 11, 2004: Victim Made Seven 911 Calls Before Mass Murder
- August 9, 2004: Deltona 'Ringleader' Nearly Beat Man To Death In '96
- August 9, 2004: Suspects In Court On Charges For Xbox Murders
- August 9, 2004: Deputies: Revenge Over Xbox Was Motive For Mass Murder
- August 9, 2004: 4 Charged In Deltona Mass Murder
- August 8, 2004: 4 Arrested In Deltona Mass Murder
- August 7, 2004: Officials Begin To ID Deltona Mass Murder Victims
- August 6, 2004: Deltona Burger King Temporarily Closes After Bodies Found
- August 6, 2004: Second Home Searched After Deltona Bodies Found