William Tulenko has been sentenced to death for the First Degree Murder of inmate James Lindsey Howze, at the Charlotte Correctional Institution (CCI). The victim was murdered by strangulation, on February 29, 2024, when the defendant and the victim were incarcerated at CCI.
Chief Assistant State Attorney Richard Montecalvo and Deputy Chief Assistant State Attorney Shannon Doolity prosecuted the case.
At the time of the murder, the defendant was already incarcerated for an armed robbery in Hillsborough County and was pending trial for a murder in Santa Rosa County.
The defendant had been planning this murder for several months, since he was placed in a cell with the victim.
The State filed an Intent to Seek Death in this case which led to today’s sentence.
“The evidence in this case shows that this murder was heinous, atrocious, and cruel. This was a premeditated act of murder and clearly a death penalty case,” said State Attorney Amira Fox.
The defendant pled guilty to the murder and then a penalty phase trial was held to determine if the defendant would receive a sentence of life in prison or the death penalty.
This afternoon, the Honorable Charlotte County Circuit Court Judge Shannon McFee sentenced the defendant to death and simultaneously filed a 33-page sentencing memo.
Samantha Syoen – State Attorney’s Office Communications Director