SEBRING, Fla. (AP) — A former prison guard trainee, Zephen Xaver, was sentenced to death on Monday for the brutal 2019 murders of five women inside a SunTrust bank in Sebring, Florida. The sentencing followed a two-week penalty trial in which a jury recommended the death penalty by a 9-3 vote in June. Circuit Judge Angela Cowden handed down the sentence, calling the killings “calculated, heinous, and cruel.”
Xaver, 27, showed little emotion as Judge Cowden pronounced the death sentence, though he appeared to gulp as the ruling was made. The judge noted the extensive planning that led to the murders and emphasized the victims’ fear as they were executed at gunpoint.
“May God have mercy on your soul,” Judge Cowden said as she concluded the sentencing.
Xaver pleaded guilty last year to five counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of customer Cynthia Watson, 65; bank teller coordinator Marisol Lopez, 55; banker trainee Ana Pinon-Williams, 38; teller Debra Cook, 54; and banker Jessica Montague, 31. On the day of the murders, Xaver entered the bank, ordered the women to lie on the floor, and shot each one in the head as they begged for mercy.
Kiara Lopez, daughter of Marisol Lopez, addressed the court, expressing her anger at Xaver’s actions. “You shattered me into a million pieces,” she said. “I will celebrate the day you die, whenever that might be.”
Michael Cook, the husband of victim Debra Cook, also spoke in court, calling Xaver a coward and stating, “I have absolutely no sympathy for him.”
Xaver’s defense attorney, Jane McNeill, argued against the death penalty, requesting a life sentence instead. She stated that a life sentence would allow the case to be closed and prevent a prolonged legal battle. The death sentence will automatically be appealed.
Xaver’s mental health history was a central point in the defense’s argument. He had previously expressed violent thoughts and was discharged from the Army in 2016 after a brief service. In 2018, he was hired as a prison guard trainee in Florida, though he quit just weeks before the killings.
Prior to the murders, Xaver exchanged text messages with a former girlfriend in Connecticut, hinting at his intentions. Hours before the shooting, he told her, “This is the best day of my life.” Fifteen minutes before the attack, he texted, “I’m dying today.” From the bank’s parking lot, Xaver sent another message saying, “I’m taking a few people with me because I’ve always wanted to kill people.”
Xaver’s actions and the subsequent sentence have left the community grieving and the families of the victims seeking justice.