LOOKING BACK — This photo from 2004 shows vehicles belonging to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement surrounding the home on Telford Lane where the infamous Deltona massacre, or XBOX murders, took place on Aug. 6, 2004.
Troy Victorino and Jerone Hunter were sentenced to death nearly 17 years ago for their role in what is known as the Xbox murders — a horrifying 2004 mass murder in Deltona.
But, a 2016 decision by the Florida Supreme Court found that the death penalty was unconstitutional in non-unanimous jury decisions. The jury was not unanimous in Victorino’s and Hunter’s cases, and their death sentences were thrown out in 2017. Their guilt has already been decided — but their fate is now unclear.
Finally, nearly six years later, the resentencing hearings of Hunter and Victorino are drawing nearer. A new jury (or juries, if the judge does not consolidate the cases) will decide their fate. The State Attorney’s Office is seeking the death penalty, again. The defense is attempting to prevent consideration of the death penalty.
The current date is set for April 10, although that may change, subject to pending motions by the defense requesting a change of venue.
Victorino was considered the ringleader in the murders and Hunter an accomplice. Two other accomplices, Robert Cannon and Michael Silas, were both sentenced to life in prison.
A jury found all four men guilty of torturing and murdering four men, two women, and one dog. The six victims were bludgeoned to death with baseball bats — four were also stabbed.
The motive for the crime was twofold: getting revenge on one of the victims, Erin Belanger, who had evicted Victorino and had his belongings boxed up, and retrieving Victorino’s Xbox and clothing items.
What was the original verdict numbers and with the new decision of fla can be dismissed due to the original numbers I am a parent of the murdered daughter of Michelle Nathan please tell us this is over these murderer s have rights under a law my daughter had no rights and the law at the horific crime still applies