VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The state and defense have wrapped up their closing arguments in the so-called Xbox murders resentencing case.
Troy Victorino and Jerone Hunter were convicted and sentenced to death for beating six people and a dog to death with baseball bats in 2004. Two others, Michael Salas and Robert Cannon, were also charged with the murders and are currently serving life sentences. However, a change in state law is requiring them to be resentenced.
During closing arguments, prosecutors once again showed jurors the bloody and brutal evidence photos of each of the six victims. Some of the jurors did not look at the boards this time around.
Over the past two weeks, the state has used old testimony from Salas and Hunter from their trial in 2006. Prosecutors also brought up family members of each of the six victims. They all gave emotional testimony, some of which brought jurors to tears.
The state said all of the evidence shows heinous actions, intent, and premeditation.
“They made sure these people were dead by repeatedly bashing in their skulls and then stabbing them to make sure they were dead,” said prosecutor Heatha Trigones.
The defense is divided. Like the 2006 trials, Hunter’s attorneys are placing a lot of the blame on Victorino. They said he was young, impressionable and afraid for his life, so he followed Victorino’s orders.
They’ve used family members and doctors to try to show he had a strict and religious upbringing that was also abusive. Hunter’s attorneys said Victorino used that to his advantage.
“Victorino kicks in the door, does surveillance in the house, and tells them where to go in the house. So I would submit to you there is severe domination by another person,” said Garry Wood, Jerone Hunter’s attorney.
Victorino’s attorneys have taken a different approach by saying he accepts responsibility, the day haunts him, and he’s changed his ways. That’s much different than his stance during his trial in 2006. Then, Victorino denied taking part in the murders at all.
Attorneys used prison pastors, employees and inmates to talk about who Victorino is today compared to 20-years ago.
“Make no mistake that the person who would be executed is not the Troy from 2004. That person is dead. This is the Troy we hope you’ve come to know,” said Beth Sammons, Victorino’s attorney.
Victorino and Hunter are being resentenced together with the same jury, but the jurors will vote on either a death or life sentence for each of them separately.
Eight of the twelve jurors must vote for the death sentence for it to be imposed.
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