GUILTY FL - Manhunt in Tampa after 4 slayings in 5 weeks, Oct-Nov 2017 #3 *Arrest*

[AC's Grandma]

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/...nole-heights-killer-still-faces-death-penalty
Accused Seminole Heights killer still faces death penalty
Mar 24, 2022
TAMPA, Fla — Accused Seminole Heights killer Howell Donaldson will still face the death penalty if convicted of killing four people in 2017. Those few months nearly five years ago are hard to forget as the community waited for Tampa police to make an arrest.

Donaldson appeared in court Thursday with his defense team to go over 18 motions filed. Several of those motions had hoped to prove the death penalty is unconstitutional and should be taken off the table.
[...]

Death penalty remains on table for Howell Donaldson | wtsp.com
Accused Seminole Heights killer fights for his life in court
March 24, 2022
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla —

[...]

The ONLY I would take the death penalty off the table for this horrible person is if he agreed to life without parole and plead guilty to 4 premeditated murders.
There is no way in my opinion that he didn't plan these and knew exactly what he was doing from the day he started to the day he was captured.
I don't agree that the courts approved the request for him to have 4 separate trials but I don't make those decisions. I'm thankful the judge sees through him and their motions in this case and denies them.

Has anyone heard if they've asked for change of venue?

All MOO

 

[JerseyGirl]

No trial dates have been set in any of the cases.

Accused Seminole Heights killer in court for pre-trial motions | WFLA

 

[AC's Grandma]

No trial dates have been set in any of the cases.

Accused Seminole Heights killer in court for pre-trial motions | WFLA

I'm sure it'll be years down the road before they are with requests for continuances and motions.

 

[SeesSeas]

Seminole Heights murder trials can include evidence from other killings, court rules
Seminole Heights murder trials can include evidence from other killings, court rules
In the case of Howell Donaldson, an appeals court Friday overturned a ruling that limited what evidence the state can use in each of four trials.
April 8, 2022
TAMPA — Prosecutors will be able to talk about evidence of other crimes — specifically that four separate Seminole Heights shootings were linked by the same gun — in the four murder trials of Howell Emanuel Donaldson III, an appeals court has ruled.
[...]
The fact that the same gun was used in each homicide is relevant for the state to establish that Donaldson was the perpetrator, wrote appellate Judge J. Andrew Atkinson.
[...]
A trial date has not yet been set.

If Donaldson is found guilty, prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty.

 

[SeesSeas]

Murder victim’s parents banned from testifying at accused Seminole Heights serial killer’s trial

The parents of a man allegedly murdered by the accused Seminole Heights serial killer have been banned from testifying at trial.

www.fox13news.com

Published June 30, 2022 6:15PM
[...]
The document goes on to say that Casimar Naiboa has "refused to cooperate" in scheduled depositions, and even ignored a court order by the judge to show up.
[...]
Donaldson’s next court hearing is set for September.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Accused Seminole Heights serial killer's defense team ready for trial next year

This October will mark five years since prosecutors said Howell Trae Donaldson went on a random killing spree in Seminole Heights. Now, prosecutors and Donaldson's defense team said they are ready to try one of his cases next year.

www.fox13news.com

next hearing on November 7. A trial date will also be set, and defense motions will be handled on that day.

 

[dotr]

 

[SeesSeas]

In reversal, defense seeks single trial in 4 Seminole Heights slayings

Howell Donaldson’s defense also wants a judge to bar mention of the phrase “serial killer” from his trial.

www.tampabay.com

Octover 10, 2022
Hillsborough Public Defender Julianne Holt, whose office represents Donaldson, last week asked a judge to re-combine the four murder charges to make them the subject of a single trial. Her request came after an appeals court earlier this year ruled that each jury should at least be able to hear about evidence of the other three killings — namely, that they occurred with the same gun.

 

[SeesSeas]

Evidence in Seminole Heights killings should be thrown out of court, defense says

Attorneys for Howell Donaldson III asked a judge to toss out much of the evidence against him, arguing it came as the result of an illegal arrest and searches.

www.tampabay.com

[...]
In a 33-page motion filed in court Wednesday, Hillsborough Public Defender Julianne Holt argues that police had no reason to suspect Donaldson of any wrongdoing when they detained him on Nov. 28, 2017, at the McDonald’s restaurant in Ybor City where he worked.

Holt also argues that the prolonged time Donaldson spent in police custody was unlawful. And his consent to let investigators examine his property was not voluntary, but a “coerced response” to police authority.
[...]
His trial is scheduled to begin in August.

 

[SeesSeas]

Suspected Seminole Heights serial killer pleads guilty to four murders

Howell Donaldson III will receive four life sentences.

www.baynews9.com

TAMPA, Fla. — Howell Donaldson, the accused Seminole Heights serial killer, pleaded guilty to four counts of murder in exchange for avoiding the death penalty on Monday morning.
Donaldson will receive four life sentences.

Seminole Heights serial killer Howell Donaldson pleads guilty to murders

After nearly six years, the Seminole Heights killer has finally pleaded guilty to his crimes.

www.wfla.com

The now-confessed serial killer was on trial for the murders of Benjamin Edward Mitchell, Monica Hoffa, Anthony Naiboa, and Ronald Felton between Oct. 9, 2017, and Nov. 14, 2017.

Seminole Heights serial killer case ends with guilty plea

Howell Donaldson III admitted to the string of four shooting deaths to avoid a possible death sentence.

www.wtsp.com

Accused Seminole Heights killer Howell Donaldson III pleads guilty

The man accused of killing four people in Seminole Heights in 2017 pleaded guilty in court on Monday.

www.abcactionnews.com

Guilty plea in Seminole Heights serial killings

Howell Trae Donaldson pleaded guilty to four Seminole Heights slayings on Monday morning.

www.fox13news.com

 

[MajorHoople]

Suspected Seminole Heights Serial Killer Howell Trae Donaldson Pleads Guilty To 4 Murders

FOX 13 Tampa Bay — May 1, 2023

 

[Tampasleuther8]

Did anyone ever find out a motive or more information on this one? It seems like so many of you were deeply invested but with the trial not happening I don’t know if we have answers. Did anything come of the ex boyfriend or anything further about what his family life was really like?