Zephen Xaver, a former prison guard trainee, was sentenced to death on December 16, 2024, for the 2019 execution-style murders of five women inside a SunTrust Bank in Sebring, Florida. Xaver, 27, was found guilty of first-degree murder for the killings, which shocked the small community. His sentencing followed a two-week penalty trial, where the jury voted 9-3 to recommend the death penalty.
The court proceedings took place at the Highlands County Courthouse, where Judge Angela Cowden delivered the sentence. Xaver showed no visible emotion, though he appeared to gulp as the judge pronounced the decision. Judge Cowden described the murders as “calculated, heinous, and cruel,” citing Xaver’s premeditated actions and the immense fear the victims endured before their deaths.
The five victims—Cynthia Watson, 65; Marisol Lopez, 55; Ana Pinon-Williams, 38; Debra Cook, 54; and Jessica Montague, 31—were all shot in the head by Xaver after he forced them to …