Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 10-14-22

Judge To Rule On Motions In Seminole Heights Murder Trials
HOWELL EMANUEL DONALDSON, III
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Initially, Public Defender
Attorney Julie Ann Holt,
wanted four murder trials separated. Now, after a rul- ing by the Appeals Court, she wants the trials all to- gether. She is also asking the judge to restrict words such as “Seminole Heights Serial Killer,” in the trial as well.
The judge will make a ruling pertaining to the mo- tions in November. The trial is slated to begin next sum- mer.
In September, the judge decided that the first of four murder trials of now 29- year-old Howell Emanuel Donaldson, III, will begin next summer. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in all four cases.
Last year, Judge Samantha Ward decided to separate all four cases and have a trial for each vic-
BENJAMIN MITCHELL Died October 9, 2017
tim.
Ms. Julie Ann Holt,
Hillsborough County Public Defender said, "We would be prepared in the summer of 2023 based on how things are progressing at this time."
It has not been deter- mined the order in which the trials will proceed. How- ever, Judge Ward said she expects the two parties to agree on which case will go first by November 7th.
For fifty-one days, begin- ning October 9, 2017, with the murder of Benjamin Mitchell, the City of Tampa was held captive by a serial killer preying on the population of Seminole Heights. The entire city breathed a sigh of relief after Howell Emanuel Don- aldson, III, was arrested, on November 28, 2017. No other murders linked to Seminole Heights took place after the arrest.
MONICA HOFFA Died October 11, 2017
There had been several murders of young, Black men throughout the year, both in Tampa and in Hills- borough County. So, when the news that 22-year-old Benjamin Mitchell was shot and killed didn’t raise too many eyebrows. Mitchell was walking near N. 15th Street and E. Frier- son, when he was shot. He died at a local hospital.
But, four days later, a city employee discovered the body of Ms. Monica Hoffa, 32, of Tampa. Her body was discovered on the morning of October 13th, in a vacant lot in the 1000 block of East New Orleans Av- enue. She had last been seen walking through the neigh- borhood on October 11th, en route to meet a friend.
It was after her murder that then Mayor Bob Buckhorn and then Police Chief Brian Duggan noti- fied the city of a possible se-
ANTHONY NAIBOA Died October 19, 2017
rial killer in the area. They felt residents, especially in the Seminole Heights area, should be alerted.
The next murder came about on October 19th, shortly before 8 p.m. An- thony Naiboa, 20, a young adult with Autism, had got- ten off the bus at the wrong stop. He was walking north on 15th Street in the area of Wilder Avenue when he was killed.
Although officers were in the area and heard the gun- shot, the suspect slipped through their grasp.
With the help of several law enforcement agencies, police blanketed the Semi- nole Heights area. A reward was offered and continued to increase along with ten- sion and fear.
The suspect waited for nearly a month before he took the life of 60-year-old Ronald Felton. Felton was near the intersection of
RONALD FELTON Died November 14, 2017
N. Nebraska Avenue and E. Caracas. Felton was ap- proached from behind.
His death is unique in that the killer struck at 4:50 a.m., instead of at night as he had in the previous cases.
By the time Felton was killed, the reward had reached $110,000. His was the last death attributed to the Seminole Heights killer.
The Arrest
On November 28th,
Howell Emanuel Don- aldson, III, was arrested and charged with four counts of first-degree mur- der.
He reportedly admitted he purchased the gun and took possession of it on Oc- tober 7th. Two days later, the first murder took place.
Donaldson did not confess to the murders. He is currently being held at the Hillsborough County Jail without bond.
Feature
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