On the day of the murder, Felecia left home with Wiley and went to Ritchies mothers apartment in the Doral Oaks apartment complex. The sentencing hearing began Thursday and continued Friday. During closings, defense lawyer Bjorn Brunvandpointed out expert testimony that apparently showed there was no evidence of sexual battery. When her mother had foot surgery in 2013, the girl spent the summer cooking for her and nursing her back to health, Demerson said. . Prosecutor Scott Harmonsaid in closing arguments on Wednesday that Ritchie was a master manipulator, who lied and used Wiley and his mother to cover up what really happened. A convicted child rapist and murderer is appealing his death sentence in Florida arguing that the prosecutor violated the so-called Golden Rule by asking the jury to imagine his victims suffering. I have no ill will against you, Jerome Williams said, reports WREG. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Ritchies conviction comes five years after he raped and killed Felecia before stuffing her body in a suitcase and dropping it off of the Courtney Campbell Causeway bridge, according to the Tampa Bay Times, WTSP and Fox13. Emailus. Ritchie then s*xually assaulted and strangled the girl while Wiley was away, prosecutors said during his trial. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A Florida man faces the death penalty after being convicted of murdering a 9-year-old girl when she was left alone with him in 2014, PEOPLE confirms. pic.twitter.com/ICiF7E3rSA. (FOX 13 News). Investigators said, back in 2014, Ritchie assaulted and strangled young Felecia Williams before stuffing her body in a suitcase and dumping her into the water near the Courtney Campbell Causeway. First, I am in awe of your bravery and your tireless advocacy for your daughter. But the courts majority, while acknowledging improper comments, said Ritchie should not receive a new hearing. You're a better stronger woman than I am. There will be no corporeal redemption for you your physical being, your person, Sisco said as she gave the sentence, the Tampa Bay Times reported. And Granville Ritchie knew better.. Ritchie and Felecia did not know each other before meeting on May 16, 2014, but they were both close to Eboni Wiley, who was the mans girlfriend and the girls neighbor and family friend. That pain would have been greater for a girl. I am here to bury this Jamaican today, she said during the hearing. Harmon is a veteran prosecutor who has been prosecuting homicides for 20 years,' she told the court. TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - A jury of his peers has found Granville Ritchie guilty of murder in the 2014 killing of 9-year-old Felecia Williams. Granville Ritchie, 41, was sentenced to death in September 2020 for the 2014 murder of nine-year-old Felecia Williams, who was raped, strangled, stuffed into a suitcase and thrown over an overpass. The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the convictions and death sentence for a man who sexually battered and killed 9-year-old Felecia Williams. "I think most parents have a moment when a child runs away from them, they can't find a child, a call or text message goes unanswered for a period of time. Granville Ritchie, 41, was convicted of killing and raping Felecia Williams in Florida in May 2014. Granville Ritchie, 40, is charged with first-degree murder, rape and sexual battery, and aggravated child abuse. Ritchies defense plans to raise a number of mitigating factors to argue for a life sentence, instead. My heart breaks for you. 'May God have mercy on your soul.'. "For most parents, that moment passes but for a few unfortunate ones, it doesn't. Instead, it becomes a first step of a never-ending nightmare you never wake from. Buckwalter claimed that the prosecutor was simply describing Ritchies actions to jurors and made a brusque comment. Ritchie found guilty in death of Felecia Williams, 9. During a Florida Supreme Court hearing Thursday, Judge Jamie Grosshans closely examined Harmons comments and noted that she leaned toward the defense position. Mister. By 4:30 p.m., they returned the guilty verdict. Jurors saw photos of the 9-year-old girl, all with a wide smile one of her donning a blue dress at a wedding where she served as a flower girl, another of her sitting on a couch beside her mother, and a third of her mugging for a selfie as she lies on a mattress. Im not like everyone else, bro. Ritchie's lawyer had argued against a death penalty, claiming factors like an abusive childhood in Kingston, Jamaica, the Tampa Bay Times reported. In arguing for the death penalty, Tampa prosecutor Scott Harmon said to the jury, in part: 'Can you imagine the dread of knowing that your life is ending and you are feeling pain all over your body? TAMPA, Fla. A year after his trial, Granville Ritchie has been sentenced to death for the 2014 murder of 9-year-old Felecia Williams. James Upshaw Downs, a forensic pathologist, talked about the pain the girl would have felt as she was being beaten, raped and strangled. TAMPA, Fla The trial for Granville Ritchie, the man accused of raping and murdering a 9-year-old Tampa girl in May of 2014, began today. It was the same jury who on Wednesday convicted him of killing the child in 2014. "The only thing I regret today is I cannot ask for his fatethat would be for him to be hung. L'anne suivante, soutenant financirement le couturier depuis ses dbuts, Marcel Boussac [n 1] fonde la Socit Christian Dior parfums, SARL nomme alors plus communment Dior Parfums [n 2].Serge Heftler-Louiche, ami du couturier et natif . That is true. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. He grew up in a poverty-stricken neighborhood, plagued with crime and violence, and endured beatings from a father who had 18 children by several different mothers. Deshawn Thomas Executes Homeless Man In St Louis, Sheborah Thomas Gets 40 Years For Killing 2 Kids, NFL Zac Stacy Gets 6 Months For Brutal Assault, Brendan Depa Charged For Knocking Out Teachers Aide, Jack Colton Charged In Sexual Assault Of 12 Yr Old, Taylor Frankie Paul Charged With Domestic Violence, Steven Pfeil Teen Killer Murders 2 In Illinois, Antonio Barbeau and Nathan Paape Teen Killers, Dylan Schumaker Teen Killer Murders 23 Month Boy, Lacy Aaron Schmidt Teen Killer Murders Ex Girlfriend, Amber Wright Teen Killer Seath Jackson Murder, James Parker And Robert Tulloch Teen Killers, Bobby Gonzales Teen Killer Murders Girlfriends Mother. PREVIOUS:Granville Ritchie found guilty of murder in 2014 killing of 9-year-old Felecia Williams. Apparent signs of sexual abuse on the victims body might have happened while she was floating in the water, exposed to the elements. ", PREVIOUS: Girlfriend testifies she does not believe Ritchie killed 9-year-old. The server responded with {{status_text}} (code {{status_code}}). Required fields are marked *. Instead, it becomes a first step of a neverending nightmare you never wake from. Ritchie, now 43, is an inmate at Union Correctional Institution, according to the Florida Department of Corrections website. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. During Ritchies trial, the court heard from Felecias mother. When Wiley returned nearly an hour later, Ritchie claimed that he gave Felecia money to go buy candy at a nearby CVS store and she had not returned. Court is being held in Hillsborough County. He pointed as Wiley as a possible perpetrator of the murder. They traveled to a home, where the defendant was alone with the victim starting at about 4:50 p.m. Investigators claim he committed the crime, stuffed the body in a suitcase, and dumped it by the Courtney Campbell Causeway. The jury recommended the death penalty. She didnt deserve thatits hard for all of us to deal with it, you know, but we have to take it one day at a time.. These cookies do not store any personal information. "The child victim suffered a horrendous, physically painful, psychologically torturous death,"Hillsborough Circuit Judge Michelle Sisco said with her voice cracking, before removing her glasses to wipe away tears. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Ritchie faces the death penalty. Wiley said during a trial that Ritchie said he gave Felecia money to buy candy from a store. Granville Ritchie, 35, of this suburb northeast of Tampa also was charged with capital sexual battery and aggravated child abuse in the death of Felecia Williams, police Chief Kenneth Albano. On Wednesday, the 12-member jury found the 40-year-old Ritchie guilty in the girls 2014 rape and murder. The Golden Rule argument refers to an argument put forth by the prosecution in a jury trial, where jurors are persuaded to consider themselves in the place of the victim in reaching a verdict that they would prefer the defendant to get. Rick Buckwalter, the Florida appeals attorney, admitted it was a close call, but argued that Harmon did not cross the line. Buckwalter claimed that the prosecutor was merely describing for the jurors Ritchie's actions and made an offhand remark. During Friday's hearing, Felecia's mother addressed the court, calling for Ritchie's death. Support journalism byclicking here to ourGiveSendGoor sign up for ourfree newsletter by clicking here. When Wiley returned almost an hour later, Ritchie claimed that he gave Felecia money for her to go buy candy at a nearby CVS store and that she had not returned. Convicted child killer, rapist wants off death row. 17:14 EST 05 Nov 2021. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Initially, Wiley told police that Felecia ran away, the Associated Press reported. Wiley and Ritchie picked her up on May 16, 2014. My heart breaks for you. 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Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. The woman, Eboni Wiley, testified even though she had only know Ritchie for a couple of days, she left Felecia with him to go buy some marijuana. Who is Granville Ritchie? Each parent has that sick feeling of dread that something happened to their child. "I am here to bury this Jamaican today," she said during the hearing. pic.twitter.com/K1mmbzLM7b, Law & Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) September 25, 2019. Copyright 2022The Free Press, LLC,tampafp.com. This was deliberate.'. 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I think most parents have a moment when a child runs away from them, they can't find a child, a call or text message goes unanswered for a period of time. She takes medication for depression. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? A unanimous 12-0 decision is required to impose the death penalty. pic.twitter.com/uYMknpFSzI, Law & Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) September 16, 2019, #GranvilleRitchie Wiley said Ritchie told her to tell Felecias family that there was no male in the house, only females so she wouldnt seem like a bad person for leaving Felecia alone with a man. The duo were watching the girl one day, and Ritchie took Felecia to his mother's apartment, the Associated Press reported. the child to death before putting her body in a suitcase and dumping it near the Courtney Campbell Causeway in May 2014 . Jurors had a lot of evidence to review in the trial, which has . Ritchie and Felecia did not know each other before they met on May 16, 2014, but they were both close with Eboni Wiley, who was the man's then-girlfriend and the girl's neighbor and family friend. Authorities said she originally lied to them during the investigation into Williams disappearance. As the states case continued, the jury was presented with photos showing Felecias injuries as they were during the first phase of the trial. The seven justices of the state Supreme Court did not reach a decision in Ritchie's case this week. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. She explained that she recently suffered a personal loss. After four hours of deliberation, the jury found Ritchie guilty of first-degree murder, sexual battery and aggravated child abuse. Granville Ritchie would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death Florida Death Row Inmate List On Wednesday, the 12-member jury found the 40-year-old Ritchie guilty in the girl's 2014 rape and murder. My heart breaks for you.". Im trying to figure out how thats not a violation of the Golden Rule, she said Grosshans, referring to the prosecutors speech. The girl's body was found washed up on a shoreline a day after she had been left alone with Ritchie. TAMPA, Fla. Granville Ritchie was found guilty of sexually battering and murdering 9-year-old Felicia Williams in May of 2014. On the night of her murder, Felecia was left alone with Ritchie at his Temple Terrace apartment by a woman who was supposed to be watching her. Bailiffs led the jury out of the courtroom. Ritchie.". I dont know what your spiritual leanings arehowever, if you do everpray to a higher power, either now or at some point, and you truly seek forgivenessI hope that it is granted. Later that night, Ritchie drove to the Courtney Campbell Causeway where he dumped Felecia's body into the bay. Ritchie may have suffered brain damage, Eisenstein said. I know youre a woman of deep faith. According to court documents Granville Ritchie would abduct, sexually assault and murder Felecia Williams. TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - A jury of his peers has found Granville Ritchie guilty of murder in the 2014 killing of 9-year-old Felecia Williams. I wish you all of the best.". TAMPA, Fla. A jury found Granville Ritchie guilty of murder and rape Wednesday afternoon in the 2014 killing of 9-year . Wiley went to buy marijuana and Ritchie then strangled and assaulted the nine-year-old, prosecutors claimed. Granville Ritchie would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death. More than six years after the child's death, Ritchie was sentenced with the death penalty on Friday, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Granville Ritchie, 41, was convicted of first-degree murder, sexual battery and aggravated child abuse in September 2019. . "The child victim suffered a horrendous, physically painful, psychologically torturous death," Sisco said in court on Friday. For most parents, that moment passes but for a few unfortunate ones, it doesn't. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. A jury found Granville Ritchie guilty of murder and rape Wednesday afternoon in the 2014 killing of 9-year-old Felecia Williams. Snejana Farberov For Dailymail.com But the judge told them to speak up if what they hear becomes overwhelming. Granville Ritchie, 41, was sentenced to death in September 2020 for the 2014 killing of nine-year-old Felecia Williams, who was raped, strangled to death, stuffed into a suitcase and thrown. Each parent has that sick feeling of dread that something happened to their child. How did Vladimir Putin lose half of Russia's elite paratroopers? At the time, they said she was left alone with Ritchie after the woman who was babysitting her left to purchase drugs. The court rejected a series of arguments raised by Granville Ritchie, who was convicted in the 2014 murder of the girl, identified in the court opinion by the initials F.W., Felecia Williams. He gave Felecia money to buy marijuana and Ritchie took Felecia to his mother 's apartment the., sexual battery I have no ill will against you, Jerome Williams said, WREG. May 16, 2014 signs of sexual battery and aggravated child abuse browsing experience (! The court sexual abuse on the day of the murder Ritchies defense plans to a. We are no longer accepting comments on this article death, '' said... Brunvandpointed out expert testimony that apparently showed there was no evidence of sexual on! 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