State Attorney Aramis Ayala’s office will seek the death penalty against a woman accused of stabbing and killing a man at an Osceola County hotel.
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This would be the first death penalty case for Ayala’s office.
Emerita Mapp, 33, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Zackery Ganoe.
Ganoe was found dead inside a room at the Days Inn on Polynesian Boulevard on April 11. Outside the room, deputies found another man bleeding on the ground.
“This was violent and horrific crime,” Capt. Jacob Ruiz, a spokesman with the Sheriff’s Office said at the time. “Two men were attacked viciously, one losing his life.”
Ayala previously announced that her office would not seek the death penalty in applicable cases.
Gov. Rick Scott then reassigned her cases to State Attorney Brad King.
In September, the state Supreme Court upheld Scott’s decision. Following the court ruling, Ayala announced she would establish a panel of prosecutors to recommend when to seek the death penalty.