If convicted, he faces a possible death sentence. 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. By The child's mother and a judge had some parting words. Authorities say the victim was in the care ofEboni Wiley, a family friend. To her family, Felecia was known as Sugar Plum. She loved animals and her family. 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. Harmon is a veteran prosecutor who has been prosecuting homicides for 20 years, he told the court. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. . Bailiffs led the jury out of the courtroom. You have entered an incorrect email address! 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 Friday morning, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Michelle Sisco sentenced Granville. Ritchie found guilty in death of Felecia Williams, 9. Defense casts doubt as Granville Ritchie trial winds down, Jury in Granville Ritchies murder trial hears his account of girls disappearance, He sold me a dream. Ex-girlfriend links Granville Ritchie to 9-year-old murder victim, She was looking into the face of her killer: Trial opens in slaying of girl, 9, Jury seated in trial of Granville Ritchie, accused of strangling young girl. May God have mercy on your soul, Mr. Ritchie., https://www.fox13news.com/news/granville-ritchie-sentenced-to-death-for-2014-rape-murder-of-9-year-old-felecia-williams, Your email address will not be published. Investigators later found leaves and sand matching evidence from the crime scene. (FOX 13 News). In September 2019, all 12 jurors agreed Ritchie, who grew up in Jamaica,should face the death penalty. 2023 FOX Television Stations. TAMPA Jurors considering whether to sentence Granville Ritchie to death for the murder of 9-year-old Felecia Williams stopped their work Thursday morning when one of them began sobbing at testimony from the little girls mother. Defense attorney Daniel Hernandez asked Hillsborough Circuit Judge Michelle Sisco to either bar the entire panel from hearing the rest of the case or to excuse the juror who wept. He then is believed to have hid her body in a suitcase, which he dumped into Tampa Bay. Sisco addressed the grieving mother, telling her, "I've thought long and hard about what I was going to say to you. A PEDO was given the death penalty for raping and strangling a nine-year-old girl and hiding her body in suitcase. I wish you all of the best.. . Since Felecias death, Demerson said, she has been unable to return to work. How did Vladimir Putin lose half of Russia's elite paratroopers? Demersons testimony brought back feelings of grief, she said. "For most parents, that moment passes but for a few unfortunate ones, it doesn't. 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. Have a tip or story idea? Apparent signs of sexual abuse on the victims body might have happened while she was floating in the water, exposed to the elements. A jury found Granville Ritchie guilty of murder and rape Wednesday afternoon in the 2014 killing of 9-year-old Felecia Williams. The child's mother and a judge had some parting words. All rights reserved. Granville Ritchie, 41, was convicted of killing and raping Felecia Williams in Florida in May 2014. 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. I just cant believe he did that to her, Felecias cousin, Rashida Johnson, told WTSP shortly after her death. Granville Ritchie was found guilty of killing Williams in Sept. 2019. . Tampa Area Local News, National Stories, and Politics, introu Wins Pitch Club Competition at Global Online Marketplaces Summit, Dr. Michael Dattoli Discusses Nonsurgical Cancer Treatments, The Free Press Journalistic And Ethical Standards, Explore The Fulgor Milano Collection At Famous Tate, Florida Missing Child Alert Issued For 3-Year-Old Ava Joseph, Libs Of TikTok Founder Branches Out With New Childrens Book Telling Kids To Trust Their Parents, Biden DOJ Pushes Congress To Renew Warrantless Surveillance Law, Dead Body Found In Temple Terrace Apartment With Infant, Deputies Seek Tips, The Free Press Tampa Local, Florida, Politics, and National News. Friday's sentencingincluded testimony from Felecia Demerson, the 9-year-old's mother. "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. The duo were watching the girl one day, and Ritchie took Felecia to his mother's apartment, the Associated Press reported. In September 2019, Ritchie was found guilty of first-degree murder, sexual battery and aggravated child abuse. She left 9-yr-old Sugarplum with Ritchie. In front of a jury tasked to decide the fate of Ritchie . Required fields are marked *. 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. Ritchie is accused in the 2014 murder of 9-year-old Felecia Williams. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I said do what, you dont even know anybody around here, Kellisa Kelley said, according to BayNews9. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Eboni Wiley, in May 2014, prosecutors said. Authorities said she originally lied to them during the investigation into Williams disappearance. 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. Hyman Eisenstein, a psychologist who spent 32 hours examining Ritchie in jail, testified for the defense. I do still see the humanity in you,Judge Sisco said after delivering the death sentence. He pegged Ritchies IQ at 78, well below average. He pointed as Wiley as a possible perpetrator of the murder. 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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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. In September 2019, all 12 jurors agreed Ritchie, who grew up in Jamaica,should face the death penalty. During a Florida Supreme Court hearing Thursday, Judge Jamie Grosshans closely examined Harmons comments and noted that she leaned toward the defense position. 11/4/21 Florida Supreme Court Oral Arguments: Granville Ritchie v. State of Florida SC20-1422. And the fact that you were able to sit through this trial with the horrific facts. Testimony is expected to continue Friday. On Wednesday, the 12-member jury found the 40-year-old Ritchie guilty in the girls 2014 rape and murder. The juror, a woman, wept as Felecia Demerson read a statement from the witness stand about her daughter and the devastating effects of her death. According to Ritchie's appellate attorney Rachel Roebuck, Harmon's impassioned speech violated what is known in the legal profession as the Golden Rule, which is an argument that persuades jurors to put themselves in the place of the victim when considering a verdict, reported Fox 13. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Granville Ritchie (pictured in mugshot) killed Felecia Williams on May 16, 2014 Wiley was a neighbor and friend to Felecia's family. This was deliberate. Granville Ritchie would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death. They asked for tissues then said they needed a break. By 4:30 p.m., they returned the guilty verdict. [emailprotected]. That is true. Youll get a remembrance of Tampa Bay residents weve lost, including heartwarming and amusing details about their lives, every Tuesday. By Fallon Silcox Hillsborough County. Public housing tenants ask if old maps are accurate. 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. Still, she said, she can put her feelings aside and continue hearing the case. Follow Us OnFacebook HereOrTwitter Here. By 4:30 p.m., they returned the guilty verdict. ''I'm not like everybody else, bro. Copyright 2022The Free Press, LLC,tampafp.com. UPDATED 4:30 PM ET Sep. 25, 2019. At the time, they said she was left alone with Ritchie after the woman who was babysitting her left to purchase drugs. Ritchie, now 43, is an inmate at Union Correctional Institution, according to the Florida Department of Corrections website. Your email address will not be published. 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