Summary of Offense:
Rose Connors was found unclothed and murdered in the master bedroom of her estate on the morning of March 28, 1994. Connors was severely beaten and suffered from other serious wounds such as a stab wound in the back, a fractured larynx, and a slashed throat. According to medical examiners, the actual cause of death was the injury to Connors’ neck, which severed the jugular vein. There was no real evidence of sexual battery, except a few bruises on Connors’ thigh area, suggesting that her legs were being forced apart.
Prior to the murder, Lott provided lawn services for Connors at her home. On the day of the murder (which occurred some time between March 26, 1994 and March 27, 1994, Lott and Raymond Fuller intended to rob Connors when they ran out of money and were not able to buy drugs. Together, they devised a plan to rob Connors whereby Fuller was the designated robber and Lott was the designated driver. During the robbery, Lott and Fuller were under the influence of “crystal meth” and cocaine. The robbery did not go as planned once Connors escaped from Fuller and scurried out of her house. She was instantly caught and dragged back into her home by Lott, who was hiding in some bushes outside her home. According to Lott, he beat Connors because she was retaliating like a “maniac” and had to kill her because she could identify him and would be sent to prison as a result. After murdering Connors, Lott and Fuller left her home with a diamond tennis bracelet. Later in the evening, Lott returned to the scene of the crime to clean up.
Lott was discovered a few months after the incident when his friend, Robert Whitman, contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. According to Whitman, he met with Lott some time after the incident when Lott approached him and offered to sell him a gold ring and a diamond tennis bracelet. During the meeting, Lott admitted to Connors’ murder with Fuller as his accomplice. Lott was arrested in May of 1994, when Whitman and the Sheriff’s Department devised a plan, in which Whitman and Lott would meet regarding the stolen jewelry. Prior to trial, Lott testified that Whitman lied in his story about murdering Connors. Lott further maintained that Whitman was setting him up and sought revenge because, in the past, Whitman had gotten into trouble with the
law because of Lott. Although Lott admitted to using Connors’ ATM card and the PIN number, Lott claimed that it was given to him by Whitman and had no knowledge that it was stolen, especially from Connors. According to the testimonies of the co-workers of Lott’s wife, Lott’s wife was seen wearing a diamond tennis bracelet at work one day, subsequent to Connors’ death.
Lott was sentenced to death in Orange County on June 23, 1995.
Co-defendant information:
Raymond Fuller (DC# 625386)
Fuller was not mentioned in the course of Lott’s indictment and there is no evidence of whether he was caught or tried for the same offense.
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