The death sentence for Bessman Okafor, the man convicted in the murder of Alex Zaldivar during a 2012 home invasion, has been overturned.
- Bessman Okafor's death sentence overturned
- Okafor convicted in murder of 19-year-old Alex Zaldivar
- READ: Florida Supreme Court's ruling on Okafor's death sentence (PDF)
- READ: Gov. Rick Scott's executive order removing Aramis Ayala from Bessman Okafor case (PDF)
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The Florida Supreme Court vacated the death sentence Thursday, saying that the jury didn't recommend it unanimously. Several hours later, Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order removing State Attorney Aramis Ayala from the resentencing after her proclamation earlier this year that she wouldn't seek the death penalty in murder cases. Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Brad King was assigned Okafor's case.
Okafor will be allowed to get a new sentencing hearing.
Okafor was convicted in August 2015 in the murder of the 19-year-old Zaldivar, who was scheduled to testify against him the next day in a previous home invasion case. He also was convicted of attempted murder for shooting Zaldivar's roommates, siblings Brienna and Remington Campos.
Both siblings testified against Okafor in the emotional trial.
"He needs to die," Alex's father, Rafael, said of Okafor during the trial. "He needs to forfeit his life. He took my son's life. He needs to be gone — completely gone — and I want him to suffer."
Prosecutors said Okafor shot all three in the head to stop them from testifying against him in court.
Alex Zaldivar would have turned 22 on the day of Okafor's conviction.
Alex Zaldivar, 19, was shot and killed at his Ocoee home in November 2012, hours before he was scheduled to testify in a violent home invasion trial. One of the defendants, Bessman Okafor, was charged with killing Zaldivar. (File)