Summary of Offense:
On April 26, 1996, Steven Evans, Edward Francis, Gervalow Ward and Kenneth Lewis drove to Sanford, Florida, to commit a home invasion robbery of a drug dealer. The robbery was called off when Lewis abandoned the others in the getaway car, which belonged to Evans’ girlfriend’s brother. Evans, Francis, and Ward then went to Mark Quinn’s house and called Evans’ girlfriend, telling her to call the police and report the car stolen. Evans, Francis, Ward, Quinn, and Blaine Stafford then went to Evans’ apartment to wait for Lewis. When Lewis arrived, the five men jumped Lewis, beat him up, and bound and gagged him. Evans then constructed a homemade silencer with a shampoo bottle. Evans, Francis, and Ward took Lewis out of the apartment and down to a culvert, where they pushed him down. Evans told Lewis that they were the last three people he (Lewis) would leave behind and the last three people he would see. Evans then placed the gun to Lewis’ head and shot six times, hitting Lewis in the head with five of the shots.
Evans was sentenced to death in Orange County on June 7, 1999.
Co-defendant information:
Edward Francis was convicted of first-degree murder and kidnapping and sentenced to life imprisonment and 11 years, 11 months, and 23 days, respectively.
Gervalow Ward was convicted of kidnapping and sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment.
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