Official announcements from the Florida Department of Corrections or court records

Zephen Xaver Sentenced to Death for Five Counts of Murder at SunTrust Bank on December 16, 2024

Dec 17, 2024, 12:00 AM

Zephen Xaver, a former prison guard trainee, has been sentenced to death for the 2019 shooting deaths of five women at a SunTrust Bank in Sebring, Florida. The sentencing took place on December 16, 2024, after a jury recommended the death penalty in June. Judge Angela Cowden presided over the case, describing the murders as 'calculated, heinous and cruel.' Xaver pleaded guilty to five counts of murder, with the victims identified as Ana Piñon Williams, Debra Cook, Marisol Lopez, Cynthia Watson, and Jessica Montague. The sentencing follows years of legal proceedings and delays, culminating in a nine to three jury vote in favor of the death penalty.