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Thread: Daniel Lugo - Florida

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    Daniel Lugo - Florida


    Frank Griga and Krisztina Furton at left Frank Griga and Krisztina Furton's body parts are dumped from a steel drum that the gang buried in the Everglades





    Summary of Offense:

    Daniel Lugo was convicted for, among other charges, the attempted murder of Marc Schiller as well as the murders of Frank Griga and Krisztina Furton.

    Kidnapping, Extortion and Attempted Murder of Marc Schiller:
    Schiller was a successful executive who hired Jorge Delgado to help with his business. Delgado often visited Schiller’s house and the two eventually became good friends. Delgado worked out at Sun Gym where Lugo worked. Lugo began joining Delgado on visits to Schiller’s house. Through Lugo, Delgado also became acquainted with the codefendants, Noel Doorbal and John Mese. In 1994, Schiller questioned Delgado’s business practices, which caused an argument between the two. Schiller told Delgado he was severing the business ties between them. Lugo convinced Delgado that Schiller had cheated the two of them in billing operations. Upon Lugo’s advice, Delgado hired John Mese as a replacement accountant. Delgado testified that Lugo produced documents to back up his claims. When questioned by Delgado, Schiller denied any wrongdoing.

    It was at this time that Lugo, along with friends of his, made a plan to kidnap Schiller and force him to sign over assets Lugo believed Schiller owed him and Delgado. Although Delgado had originally told Lugo he wanted nothing to do with the plan, he became very involved in the plot. Delgado gave specific information to Lugo about Schiller’s life regarding his schedule, details about his home, and family to Lugo. Lugo and his group then secretly observed Schiller. After a few attempts, they were successful in kidnapping Schiller. They took him to a warehouse Delgado had rented. Lugo to demanded that Schiller sign over his assets to him. After Schiller refused, the group began beating him and shocking him with a stun gun. Schiller finally agreed to sign after Lugo had threatened to harm Schiller’s wife and children. Schiller unwillingly began signing checks and documents, giving Lugo possession of his property and assets. During this time, Schiller was blindfolded, so he could not see what he was signing.

    Three weeks into the kidnapping, a member of the group approached Lugo and convinced him they needed to kill Schiller because he could possibly identify some or all of those involved. In the fourth week of the abduction, they forced Schiller to consume a large amount of alcohol. Lugo took Schiller’s car and ran it into a pole to make it appear as though Schiller was involved in a car accident. They took Schiller to the car and put him in the front seat. They then poured gasoline over the vehicle and set it on fire. The group was then ready to leave the scene in another car when they saw Schiller in the road. Lugo then told the driver to run him over, which the driver did. They left the scene convinced that Schiller was dead.

    They found out later that Schiller had actually survived, and, at his request, was transported to New York. While Schiller was in New York, Lugo and his group emptied his house and bank accounts. Schiller was able to identify Lugo in his testimony because he recognized Lugo’s voice during his abduction. The police found items described as belonging to Schiller in Lugo’s possession. Also discovered, were checks from Schiller’s checking account, which were payable to Mese.

    Abduction, attempted Extortion, and the Murders of Frank Griga and Krisztina Furton
    :
    Noel Doorbal, one of the men involved in the abduction of Schiller with Lugo, learned of another wealthy executive, Frank Griga, and his girlfriend, Krisztina Furton. Doorbal relayed this information and convinced Lugo to form a plan to kidnap and extort the couple. Lugo accepted and was again in full participation of the planning process. Lugo and Doorbal planned to visit Griga under the guise of presenting a business proposition. They planned to gain his confidence through this encounter; however, Griga was not interested.

    During their second visit on May 24, 1995, Lugo and Doorbal were to carry out the abduction, but Lugo aborted the plan. They returned later that day and invited them to dinner. Lugo’s plan was to lure the couple to Doorbal’s apartment. The couple did follow Lugo and Doorbal to the apartment. Jorge Delgado visited Lugo and Doorbal at Doorbal’s apartment on May 25, 1995, where he was informed that Griga was killed during a fight with Doorbal. Once Furton, Griga’s girlfriend, knew Griga was seriously hurt, she started screaming. It was at that time that Lugo restrained her and injected her with Rompun, a horse tranquilizer, to subdue her.

    They then started focusing on Furton for information about the code to enter Griga’s home. Doorbal had carried Furton to the bottom of the staircase, where she began to scream again. She was then injected a second time with the horse tranquilizer. After answering a few questions, Furton decided not to supply them with any more information. They injected her with a third dose of the tranquilizer, which resulted in her death. Lugo hired a corrections officer, John Raimondo, to kill Furton and dispose of both the bodies. He did neither. Lugo went to Griga’s house with what he thought was the code to get in. Once he realized he did not have the correct code, he called Doorbal who informed Lugo that Furton was dead. When Lugo returned to Doorbal’s apartment, he told Delgado to go home and to return to Doorbal’s apartment the next morning with a truck.

    The next morning, both bodies were loaded onto the truck and they took them to the warehouse in Hialeah. After Lugo and Doorbal had purchased the necessary equipment, they proceeded to dismember the bodies. They also attempted to burn the heads, hands and feet. Lugo and Doorbal removed everything from Doorbal’s apartment that had blood on it. On May 27 Lugo made a trip to the Bahamas to try and gain access to Griga’s bank account. He was not successful and returned to Miami. On May 28, Lugo, Doorbal and another man disposed of all the body parts. Lugo ran off to the Bahamas, where he was arrested in June 1995.

    Lugo was sentenced to death in Miami-Dade County on July 17, 1998.

    Doorbal was also sentenced to death. For more on Doorbal, see: http://www.cncpunishment.com/forums/...hlight=doorbal

  2. #2
    Senior Member CnCP Legend JLR's Avatar
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    Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition of Sentence:

    During the proceedings of Lugo’s 3.850 Motion, Lugo had undergone a mental competency examination in which he was found competent to proceed with the case on 12/16/04.

    Case Information:

    On 09/28/98, Lugo filed his Direct Appeal to the Florida Supreme Court. Lugo’s appeal claimed error in the trial court because they did not grant him separate trials for the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization counts, the Schiller counts and the Griga-Furton counts. The trial court did separate Lugo’s trial from his codefendants but found that he could be tried on all counts in one trial. This Court agreed with the trial court in that each count was connected and similar enough to try in one trial. They further stated that, even if the counts were tried separately, the charges could be introduced as evidence in each trial. Lugo also contended that there was insufficient evidence in the convictions of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization counts. Another issue Lugo raised in the appeal was that the State made improper comments during opening and closing arguments. In addition, Lugo raised that there were errors in the introduction of evidence from previous convictions as well as Brady claims. The Court found no reversible errors in the trial courts decision and affirmed the convictions and sentences on 02/20/03.

    On 07/28/03, Lugo filed a Petition for Writ Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 10/06/03.

    On 10/18/04, Lugo filed a 3.850 Motion to the Circuit Court. The motion was amended on 04/21/05, which was denied on 03/29/06. On 06/29/06, the Motion for Rehearing was denied.

    On 07/31/06, Lugo filed a 3.851 Appeal to the Florida Supreme Court. On 10/08/08, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the disposition of the lower court and denied the 3.851 Appeal. On 10/28/08, Lugo filed a Motion for Rehearing which was denied on 01/22/09. The Florida Supreme Court entered a Mandate on 02/10/09.

    On 06/20/09, Lugo filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court. The petition was denied on 10/05/09.

    Lugo filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the United States District Court, Southern District on 01/12/10. An amended petition was filed on 12/20/10. This case is currently pending.

  3. #3
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
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    On July 13, 2011, Lugo's amended habeas petition was denied in Federal District Court.

    http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal...098/350108/70/

  4. #4
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Be sure to check your local CBS listing for tonight's 48 Hours episode titled Muscles and Murder. Daniel Lugo and Noel Doorball will be featured.

    View the Pain & Gain trailer here
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  5. #5
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Nevermind

    PROGRAM NOTE:
    "Muscle and Murder" will air April 27 at 10/9c
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

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    Member Member giallohunter's Avatar
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    Also available on CBS for online streaming.

    Muscle and Mayhem

  7. #7
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    In today's orders, the United States Supreme Court declined to review Lugo's petition for certiorari.

    Appeals exhausted decision could result in an execution date.

    Lower Ct: United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
    Case Nos.: (11-13439, 12-13737)
    Decision Date: April 24, 2014
    Rehearing Denied: July 21, 2014
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  8. #8
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
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    On May 5, 2015, Lugo filed a successive habeas petition in Federal District Court.

    http://dockets.justia.com/docket/flo...cv21701/462572

  9. #9
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Related:

    ‘Pain & Gain’ murderer from Miami gets new chance to avoid execution

    By David Ovalle
    Miami Herald

    A Miami gym rat sent to Death Row for the gruesome dismemberment murder of a Golden Beach couple in 1995 is getting a new sentencing hearing.

    Florida’s high court this week tossed out the death sentence for Noel Doorbal, one of the notorious Sun Gym crew whose story was made into the movie “Pain & Gain.”

    The decision was not a surprise. Most Florida Death Row inmates from the past two decades are getting new sentencing hearings because of recent changes to the death-penalty law.

    The U.S. Supreme Court in 2016 ruled that Florida’s death-penalty sentencing system was unconstitutional, and the state justices later ruled that many inmates slated for execution should get new sentencing hearings because juries did not vote unanimously for execution.

    Jurors voted 8-4 to send Doorbal to Death Row. He and Daniel Lugo, weightlifters who worked out at the Sun Gym in Miami Lakes, have been on Death Row since they were convicted and sentenced in 1998. Lugo, 54, is also likely to get a new sentencing hearing.

    Doorbal, 45, remains convicted of the murders. If Miami-Dade prosecutors decide to again seek the death penalty, a new jury will be selected to hear evidence and decide whether execution is the proper punishment.

    Hoping to get some of his fortune, the two men kidnapped Frank Griga, 33, a Hungarian immigrant who had earned his fortune in the 900-phone sex business, and his girlfriend, Krisztina Furton. Inside Doorbal’s apartment, the kidnapping went horribly awry.

    Griga fought back and was beaten to death. Furton was fatally drugged with horse tranquilizers.

    The bodies were whisked away to a warehouse, where they were dismembered. Eventually, their body parts were found in drums and buckets discarded along rural highways in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

    The story was made into 2014’s “Pain & Gain,” starring Mark Wahlberg as Lugo, Anthony Mackie as Doorbal and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Paul Doyle, a fictional composite character based on several members of the murderous crew.

    Billed as a dark comedy, the movie infuriated relatives of Griga, as well as Marc Schiller, a Miami businessman who was also kidnapped and tortured.

    “I think it’s ridiculous. It’s horrible what happened to them,” Zsuzsanna Griga, the sister of Frank Griga, told the Miami Herald before the movie premiered. “I don’t want the American public to be sympathetic to the killers.”

    http://www.miamiherald.com/news/loca...174659956.html
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
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