In 2019, Zephen Xaver entered a bank in central Florida and tragically took the lives of five women before contacting the police to confess his actions. Now, a jury of 12 individuals will determine whether the 27-year-old former prison guard trainee will be sentenced to death or life without parole.
Jury selection for the sentencing trial is set to commence on Monday after facing several delays due to the pandemic, legal issues, and attorney health concerns.
Xaver admitted guilt to five counts of first-degree murder last year for the horrific events that occurred on January 23, 2019, at the SunTrust Bank in Sebring. The trial will solely focus on determining Xaver’s punishment. Opening statements are anticipated in two weeks, with the trial expected to last approximately two months.
The victims of this tragic incident included Cynthia Watson, 65, who had recently gotten married; Marisol Lopez, 55, a mother of two who worked as a bank teller coordinator; Ana Pinon-Williams, a 38-year-old mother of seven in training to become a banker; Debra Cook, a 54-year-old grandmother and mother of two who worked as a bank teller; and Jessica Montague, 31, a mother of one and stepmother of four.
Michael Cook, the husband of one of the victims, expressed his desire for the death penalty for his wife’s killer and shared his frustration over the lengthy delays. The trial had been postponed on at least two previous occasions.
Lead prosecutor Paul Wallace and lead defense attorney Jane McNeill have chosen not to provide comments at this time. Prosecutors are expected to argue for the death penalty based on the brutality and premeditation of the killings, while Xaver’s defense team is likely to highlight his long-standing mental health issues in pursuit of a more lenient sentence.
Following a new law in Florida, Xaver can be sentenced to death with a jury vote of 8-4 rather than requiring a unanimous decision. This law was implemented after the Parkland high school shooter in 2018 was not eligible for the death penalty despite a 9-3 jury vote for his actions resulting in the deaths of 17 individuals.
The city of Sebring, with a population of around 11,000, is internationally recognized for its annual 12 Hours of Sebring endurance auto race. The local economy is primarily driven by agriculture, tourism, and retirees.
