Craigslist killer found guilty of first-degree murder in Jacksonville

David Kelsey Sparre didn’t even try to prove his innocence last week facing a first-degree murder charge for killing a woman he met through an ad on Craigslist. He admitted to responding to her personal ad, having sex with her and stabbing her to death, according to a report in the Florida Times-Union. But he said he flipped into a rage after she told him she was a married mother of two and denied that he went to her apartment with the intent to kill her.

The distinction could have spared Sparre’s own life, but the jury didn’t buy it. Jurors took just 25 minutes to convict him of first-degree murder. Sparre’s Jacksonville criminal defense attorneys argued he was guilty only of second-degree murder – a charge that does not allow the state to seek the death penalty. Instead, the penalty phase will begin later this month. The jury can recommend either the death penalty or life in prison. The judge has the final say in sentencing, but typically follows the jury’s recommendation.

The admission defense can be used in these situations as a way of trying to limit the exposure a criminal defendant faces. The evidence was overwhelming and Sparre had already confessed to police, so there wasn’t much to argue there. Our Jacksonville criminal defense law firm has represented hundreds of clients whose charges run the gamut of offenses. And our Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem knows whether to advise you to stand in and fight or to fess up and get the best deal we can. It’s not always about guilt or innocence, but minimizing the damages in some cases.

If you need a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm, PA at 904-365-5200 for a free consultation.