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On Monday, Howell Donaldson, the Seminole Heights serial killer, admitted to the alleged killings that took place in 2017. He was indicted by a Florida grand jury on charges including four counts of premeditated murder with a firearm. Donaldson was initially charged by the Tampa Police Department with four counts of murder after he was suspected of slaying four people back in 2017, as per Reuters.
The victims have been identified as Benjamin Mitchell, Monica Hoffa, Anthony Naiboa, and Ronald Felton. New investigative reports have come to light in the trial of the Seminole Heights serial killer. It was discovered that his cell phone data showed a "significant amount of internet activity" near the places where Mitchell, Hoffa, and Naiboa were fatally shot.
As per Fox26, the name of the website he browsed wasn't revealed, however, authorities said that it was a website where individuals would watch others in s*xually themed situations, and establish interactions with the models in a private setting. Records also revealed that Donaldson's problematic behavioral patterns bothered his on-and-off girlfriend.
Seminole Heights killer fatally shot his four victims between October and November 2017
The shooting began on October 9, 2017, and the Seminole Heights killer's first victim was Benjamin Edward Mitchell. Mitchell was at the North 15th Street and East Frierson Avenue bus stop in the Seminole Heights neighborhood and was on his way to see his girlfriend when he was shot dead.
Donaldson's next victim was Monica Hoffa, whose body was recovered in an overgrown field in the 1000 block of East New Orleans Avenue in October 2017. It is unclear if the shooting took place on October 11 or October 12. Hoffa was walking to her friend's residence when she was shot. Her body was found around half a mile from where Mitchell was found dead.
The third victim was Anthony Naiboa, a 20-year-old autistic man who was fatally shot on 15th Street near Wilder Avenue on October 19, 2017, at around 7:57 pm. The Seminole Heights killer's final attack took place on November 14, 2017, and the victim was identified as Ronald Felton, a 60-year-old man. He was fatally shot in the back while crossing North Nebraska Avenue, north of East Caracas Street.
On October 13, law enforcement officials concluded that the first and second murders were linked after they discovered that both victims were shot using the same Glock handgun. After the murders, authorities offered a reward of $110,000 to individuals with any solid information regarding the suspect(s) responsible for the quadruple slayings over the month.
Donaldson pleaded guilty to the four 2017 killings
In a surprise deal that was put in place, Seminole Heights killer Howell Donaldson pleaded guilty to killing four people in 2017. The move saved him from the death penalty almost five years after he committed the heinous crimes. He pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and avoided the possibility of capital punishment. He has been ordered to serve four consecutive life sentences in prison without parole.
As per Tampa Bay Time, prosecutors said:
“They (the victims’ families) are mentally drained and exhausted. I’ve met with them. I’ve spoken with them. If they had said no, we wouldn’t be here.”
During the hearing, Public Defender Julianne Holt revealed that the Seminole Heights serial killer had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Howell Donaldson was asked a series of questions by the public defender who wanted to confirm whether he understood his guilty plea and the consequences that he had to face. Judge Samantha Ward addressed Donaldson and said:
“In reality, as we stand here today, there is no way that you’re leaving Florida State Prison. Do you understand?”
Donaldson's parents Rosita Donaldson and Howell Jr. revealed that they had no clue that their son possessed a gun. When they were made aware of the gun, they stated that it was probably for self-defense. Rosita reportedly spoke to a detective and said:
“We wondered why he didn’t go out and do things but he was always home.”
After Donaldson was arrested and indicted by the jury, prosecutors attempted to seek the death penalty for the Seminole Heights serial killer. Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn believed that if Donaldson was convicted, "he should die."
He said:
“Justice for the families and the assurance that his remaining years are spent in the hell of his own making is only fitting.”
According to a police report, the Seminole Heights serial killer also apologized for his crimes. Several family members of the deceased victims were present in court during the Seminole Heights killer’s plea hearing. This included Monica Hoffa's family friend Shelina Reneau and her cousin Yury Gutierrez.
