Summary of Offense:
Richard Andrew Knight was a freeloader who was sponging off Hans Mullings and his pregnant girlfriend, 24-year-old Odessia Stephens. Four-year-old Hanessia Mullings also lived in the home with them. Knight was Mullings' 27-year-old adopted cousin, and was living with the family.
Finally, Hans and Odessia had had enough of Knight, and asked him to move out. Knight got furiously angry, and waited until Hans had left the house. Then, on June 28, 2000, he stabbed Odessia and Hanessia to death. He assaulted them with such force that he broke the handles on two knives. Then he stowed his bloody clothes under the vanity in the guest bathroom.
While they awaited DNA evidence on the blood found at the scene and on Knight's clothing, police arrested him shortly after the murders for having sex with a 15-year-old girl. While he sat in jail, Knight was charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Knight claimed that he had been out jogging during the murders, but the fact that he was wearing unbuckled dress shoes betrayed him.
In the case of the underaged girl, Knight pled guilty to indecent sexual assault and served 18 months in prison. He has a very long criminal record, having been convicted for three counts of assault, simple battery, battery on a police officer, aggravated battery, criminal mischief, immigration violations, lewd and lascivious conduct in the presence of a child under 16 years of age, resisting arrest and driving without a driver's license.
Knight was sentenced to death in Broward County on March 28, 2007.
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