My heart breaks for you. As the states case continued, the jury was presented with photos showing Felecias injuries as they were during the first phase of the trial. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. Support journalism byclicking here to ourGiveSendGoor sign up for ourfree newsletter by clicking here. After four hours of deliberation, the jury found Ritchie guilty of first-degree murder, sexual battery and aggravated child abuse. Assistant State Attorney Scott Harmon responded that from what he saw, the juror handled the situation responsibly, turning her head away until she could get out. 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That pain wouldve been greater for a little girl.'. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Copyright 2023 My Crime Library | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. Ritchies defense plans to raise a number of mitigating factors to argue for a life sentence, instead. In September 2019, Ritchie was found guilty of first-degree murder, sexual battery and aggravated child abuse. In September 2019, all 12 jurors agreed Ritchie, who grew up in Jamaica,should face the death penalty. Ritchies attorney could not be reached for comment. I know youre a woman of deep faith. "For most parents, that moment passes but for a few unfortunate ones, it doesn't. TAMPA, Fla. A jury found Granville Ritchie guilty of murder and rape Wednesday afternoon in the 2014 killing of 9-year . 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That argument is considered legally incorrect because jurors are expected to consider a verdict objectively based on evidence alone, rather than their personal feelings. Granville Ritchie was sentenced to death by the State of Florida for the sexual assault and murder of a nine year old girl. After the child's body was discovered, however, her story changed. This is as tough as it gets, Sisco said. pic.twitter.com/ICiF7E3rSA. #GranvilleRitchie Wiley left to get marjuana at the request of Ritchie. Later that night, a 911 call was made on Ritchies phone that only lasted a few seconds. On Tuesday, a Hillsborough County jury found Granville Ritchie guilty of killing 9-year-old Felecia Williams on May 16, 2014. . 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. ", PREVIOUS: Girlfriend testifies she does not believe Ritchie killed 9-year-old. 2023 FOX Television Stations. Snejana Farberov For Dailymail.com Ritchie's lawyer had argued against a death penalty, claiming factors like an abusive childhood in Kingston, Jamaica, the Tampa Bay Times reported. 11/4/21 Florida Supreme Court Oral Arguments: Granville Ritchie v. State of Florida SC20-1422. Ritchie motioned for Wiley, who was babysitting Felecia, to leave the house to buy marijuana. In October 2020, she pleaded guilty to lying to the police and was later sentenced to 75 days in jail and five years of probation. 'He wrote out this argument, he gave it to colleagues, I guarantee you, and tested it. I just cant believe he did that to her, Felecias cousin, Rashida Johnson, told WTSP shortly after her death. The seven justices of the state Supreme Court did not reach a decision in Ritchies case this week. A key part of the Supreme Court opinion involved whether Ritchie should receive a new sentencing hearing because of improper comments made by a prosecutor during the case. That pain would have been greater for a girl. During Ritchies trial, the court heard from Felecias mother. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. 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 . 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. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Jurors had a lot of evidence to review in the trial, which has . Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Open in Our App I wish you all of the best.. TAMPA, Fla. -- A key witness testified Monday in the Granville Ritchie murder trial. 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. Texas Special Education Teacher Admits Sexually Assaulting Student in Classroom Closet, West Virginia Teenager Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of 4 Family Members, Man Who Murdered Girlfriend, Her 2 Children Captured on Video Casually Saying, 'I Murdered 4 People', Md. Last y. The same jury will decide whether Ritchie will receive the death penalty as part of his sentencing. Later that night, a 911 call was made on Ritchies phone that only lasted a few seconds. Justice Jorge Labarga argued that Ritchie should receive a new sentencing hearing. During a Florida Supreme Court hearing Thursday, Judge Jamie Grosshans closely examined Harmons comments and noted that she leaned toward the defense position. Learn More{{/message}}. 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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. A jury found Granville Ritchie guilty of murder and rape Wednesday afternoon in the 2014 killing of 9-year-old Felecia Williams. , updated Snejana Farberov For Dailymail.com, PICTURED: Two Iowa schoolboys aged 16 accused of brutally murdering their high school's Spanish teacher, 66, in park, then dumping her body under a wheelbarrow and discussing the killing on social media, Travis McMichael was covered in Ahmaud Arbery's blood when cop responded to fatal shooting, officer tells jury in first day of testimony: Prosecutors claim three white suspects 'KNEW' the black jogger was not a burglar, King Charles hosts von der Leyen at Windsor Castle, AFA president gives passionate rant speaking about student debt, Gabor Mat: No Jewish state without oppressing local population, Amplified jet stream could lead to 'disruptive snow in places', Dashcam captures moment two cars collide on a roundabout, Putin orders intelligence service to find 'scum' who oppose him, Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Child reads from sexually explicit book at Maine school board meeting, Woman appears to fake injury while arguing with tradie next door. 2023 FOX Television Stations, Girlfriend testifies she does not believe Ritchie killed 9-year-old, 'Absolute mayhem': Suspect dead after shootout in Poinciana, Polk County sheriff says, Lakeland PD searching for driver of silver car who hit, killed woman Saturday, Accused drunk driver runs over boyfriend, police say, Train carrying propane derails in Manatee County, but no leaks detected: officials, I didnt realize: Woman mistakenly eats heart-shaped chip that could have won her 100K, FDA report into listeria outbreak reveals Big Olaf employees didnt have sink to wash hands, proper training, Watch again: NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 lifts off from Florida, now bound for space station, Spring Break season expected to bring record number of travelers to TPA, Pasco County school district considering cell phone ban, FBI: Explosive found in bag at Pennsylvania airport, man arrested. Eboni Wiley, in May 2014, prosecutors said. "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. "That would indicate to me that a force was applied across the upper chest. First, I am in awe of your bravery and your tireless advocacy for your daughter. 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. Florida man Granville Ritchie, 40, was found guilty of raping and . It is in light of this horrific crime, though, that the prosecutor was duty-bound to take great care to ensure that the jurys recommendation of life or death was based on the facts and not on inflammatory and improper arguments.. He pegged Ritchies IQ at 78, well below average. By 4:30 p.m., they returned the guilty verdict. The argument is considered improper and could be grounds for an appeal because the jurors have to consider a case in an objective manner and rely on evidence alone, instead of their feelings and biases. During his sentencing hearing last year, Felecias father surprised the courtroom by telling the murderer of his daughter that he forgave him. It is unreasonable to think, in light of the facts of this case, that any juror would be able to avoid all signs of emotion, Sisco said. Ritchie was accused of raping and killing 9-year-old Felecia Williams in 2014, then shoving her body in a suitcase, and dropping it off the Courtney Campbell Causeway bridge. Some days I dont know if Im coming or going.. Granville Ritchie was found guilty of killing Williams in Sept. 2019. . During Friday's hearing, Felecia's mother addressed the court, calling for Ritchie's death. In sum, we cannot say that the improper arguments precluded Ritchies jury from making a reasoned assessment based on the evidence so as to amount to a denial of due process, said the opinion shared by Chief Justice Charles Canady and Justices Alan Lawson, Carlos Muniz, John Couriel and Jamie Grosshans. 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. I know that you know that you and Felecia will have a joyous reunion. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Copyright 2022The Free Press, LLC,tampafp.com. Bailiffs led the jury out of the courtroom. 17:14 EST 05 Nov 2021. On Friday morning, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Michelle Sisco sentenced Granville Ritchie to death for the May 16, 2014, murder of 9-year-old Felecia Williams, report Fox13, WWSB and the Tampa Bay Times. 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. "Important to be was the fact that there was a pattern, where it wasn't a typical neck strangulation, where you got a lot of injury to all of the muscles up here in the neck," explained Dr. William Anderson, a pathologist. A Florida man has been sentenced to death for the 2014 rape and murder of a 9-year-old girl left in his care . Wiley is charged in an ongoing case with allegedly providing false information to law enforcement. This was deliberate.'. "The only thing I regret today is I cannot ask for his fatethat would be for him to be hung. The penalty phase of the trial started Thursday. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 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. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? 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 this by the Courtney Campbell Causeway. Granville Ritchie was sentenced to. In defending the death penalty, Tampa prosecutor Scott Harmon told the jury, in part: Can you imagine the fear of knowing that her life is ending and she is in pain all over her body? Initially, Wiley told police that Felecia ran away, the Associated Press reported. The evidence in this case established that Ritchie committed a horrific murder, and I fully concur in the majoritys decision to affirm his conviction for first-degree murder, Labarga wrote. In October 2020, she pleaded guilty to lying to law enforcement and was later sentenced to 75 days in jail and five years of probation. Prosecutors said Ritchie had been dating Felecia's neighbor, Eboni Wiley, in May 2014. The sentencing hearing began Thursday and continued Friday. A unanimous 12-0 decision is required. Roebuck, the appellant's attorney, insisted that there was nothing spontaneous about Harmon's argument. 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. Granville Ritchie, 41, was convicted of first-degree murder, sexual battery and aggravated child abuse in September 2019. . 'Mr. Wiley has been charged with lying during a missing person investigation. 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