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Killer of 9-year-old girl sentenced to death
By Mitch Stacy
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INVERNESS, Fla. -- A convicted sex offender was sentenced Friday to death for kidnapping 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford, raping her and burying her alive in his yard.

John Evander Couey looked straight ahead as Circuit Judge Ric Howard told him he should be executed for the 2005 crimes that led to new laws in many states cracking down on convicted sex offenders.

Sheriff's deputies hustled the handcuffed inmate out of the crowded courtroom.

The girl's father, Mark Lunsford, teared up as he listened to the judge read a detailed history of the case for nearly an hour. He hugged relatives after the sentence was read.

Outside court, Lunsford had a message for Couey: "Skip all these appeals. Take your punishment. Stand up and be a man."

The jury that convicted Couey in March recommended 10-2 that he die for his crimes, but the decision was left to Howard.

An attorney for Couey, 49, had argued that he couldn't legally be executed because he is mentally retarded, but Howard brushed aside that claim in a strongly worded ruling earlier this month. Mentally retarded people cannot be executed under a 2002 U.S. Supreme Court decision.

The jury convicted Couey of taking the girl in February 2005 from her bedroom to his nearby trailer, sparking a massive search. The third-grader's body was found about three weeks after she disappeared in a grave in Couey's yard, about 150 yards from her own home.

Couey, already a convicted sex offender when he committed the crime, was arrested in Georgia and confessed to the killing. That confession was thrown out as evidence because Couey did not have a lawyer present.

Despite the confession being tossed, Couey incriminated himself other times. Jail guards and investigators testified that he repeatedly admitted details of the slaying after his arrest, insisting that he hadn't meant to kill the third-grader but panicked during an intense, nationally publicized police search.

Prosecutors also had overwhelming physical evidence, including DNA from the girl's blood and Couey's semen on a mattress in his room as well as her fingerprints in a closet where investigators said she was hidden.

Howard recounted the evidence in detail, including Couey wrapping her in two garbage bags, putting her alive into a hole then piling a foot of dirt on top of her.

``His actions crushed the very breath and life out of Jessica Marie Lunsford,'' Howard said.

``Jessica futilely poked two fingers out of the inner bag indicating that she was trying to dig her way out of what would become her grave,'' Howard said. ``Her last thoughts ... cannot be fathomed.''

Couey has a criminal record that includes 24 burglary arrests, carrying a concealed weapon and indecent exposure. He was designated a sex offender for exposing himself to a 5-year-old girl in 1991.

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Reader comments on this story - 18 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

no remorce wrote on Sep 7, 2007 9:37 AM:

" That guy should be locked in a cupboard and kept alive wih a tube untill the end of his life. He doesn't really feel sorry for what he did cause he lied about where she was and what happened Instead of sparing her from feeling any more pain he buried her alive and let her sufficate to death. "

Melvin to Sox 05 wrote on Aug 25, 2007 1:58 PM:

" Read my comments again. "

Disgusting... wrote on Aug 25, 2007 10:45 AM:

" That poor girl and that poor family. I don't know how the father can restrain himself in that courtroom...knowing what that man did to his girl. "

maisie wrote on Aug 25, 2007 10:38 AM:

" I live not far from where Jessica Lunsford lived, and have watched the case unfold. I prayed she would be found alive and couldn't believe what that monster did to the poor little innocent child. To see her father's pain and suffering, and to know what she herself went through, is almost more than anyone can bear! Why do we give those perverts all of the chances, and let them repeat their awful behavior time and time again?! I just don't understand a court system that allows sub-humans like that to roam around. MAY HE ROT IN HELL . . . "

Sox 05 wrote on Aug 25, 2007 10:26 AM:

" So Melvin, you believe torture is more humane than the death penalty? "

Melvin to horrified wrote on Aug 25, 2007 9:30 AM:

" Yep, I'm one of those "anti-death penalty folks." No, this case doesn't change my mind. This scumbag does not deserve death- he deserves to have his eyes burned out with a welding torch and then to be set on fire. That's what he deserves. However, some us don't believe that people should always get what they deserve. Now, feel free to insult me all you want. I've heard it many times before. "

I'll Help wrote on Aug 25, 2007 9:04 AM:

" throw the dirt on top of that scumbag wrapped in a plastic bag. Make him scream and poke holes trying to dig his way out; Music! "

horrified wrote on Aug 25, 2007 2:41 AM:

" Where are the anti death penalty folks now? Can anyone argue this scum should not die for what he did? I think he should be killed in the exact same way he killed that poor little girl. I would pay to watch that. "

never the same wrote on Aug 24, 2007 11:38 PM:

" I had a little girl jessica who dies at 4 days old sue to premature labor ,,,,and oh how it hurts daily. I could not imagine nor could anyone because no one is the same, 9 years in life is way too short. Only one thing comforting in any way ,,,,,,,, jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. I have no doubt,,,,though seeming unfair jessicas are amoung the great and loved. As for the one who choose to take her life ,,,, may she watch over and see u burn n hell from the pearly gates. "

Kim wrote on Aug 24, 2007 9:42 PM:

" Can't imagine. God bless your Jessica. "

I volunteer wrote on Aug 24, 2007 9:36 PM:

" to personally drive down there and throw the switch. I hope he has no offspring. "

EXCELLENT!!!! wrote on Aug 24, 2007 8:29 PM:

" This piece of fungus is getting what he deserves....However, it is ridiculous that it will take 15 years to pull this off. Finish him now!!! "

bert wrote on Aug 24, 2007 8:00 PM:

" he raped her then buried her alive with her favorite little stuffed toys.....she died slow and alone clutching her animals tightly....the NYU and ACLU lawyers will shortly make him the victim seeking sympathy for him and the kumbayah'ers will light candles for him....he does not need or deserve anything anything other than to be stripped and tossed into the excercise yard at Pelican Bay "

I am VERY HAPPY with. wrote on Aug 24, 2007 7:56 PM:

" the sentence of death for this no good, piece of crap, BUT there is one thing more that should be done before his lights are put out. That one thing is to hang him in the middle of the town square or whatever they have in that town and let the townspeople walk by one at a time and do anything they want to do to him - TORTURE HIM! I do not like violence of any kind, BUT I have always felt that a quick death is too good for this kind of person. They should SUFFER immensely before they die. After all, this little girl SUFFERED and her family will always suffer. True justice would occur in the town square. "

to GOOD.. wrote on Aug 24, 2007 6:34 PM:

" I COMPLETELY agree...you get what you give right? This just makes me absolutely SICK. I just dont understand how people can do this! I am just sick...... "

GOOD wrote on Aug 24, 2007 5:58 PM:

" Sickos like this don't deserve life. Maybe they should bury him alive. "

Justice ~~ wrote on Aug 24, 2007 5:21 PM:

" Won't be served untill he is where he belongs---in Hell. "

Just me wrote on Aug 24, 2007 4:37 PM:

" You know if they would quit letting these perverts out after they have already done this stuff then it wouldn't happen again and again and this little girl might still be alive. "
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