Faunce Pearce
Faunce Levon Pearce was convicted of the murder of Robert Crawford and the attempted second-degree murder of Stephen Tuttle. Pearce was sentenced to death for Crawford’s murder and sentenced to life for Tuttle’s attempted murder.
On the evening of September 13, 1999, Pearce asked his coworkers’ teenage stepson, Ken Shook, for LSD gel tablets. Shook and his friends, Stephen Tuttle and Robert Crawford went to buy the LSD with $1,200 of Pearce's money.
In a deal gone bad, the boys did not get the drugs and the money was stolen.
When the teens arrived without the money or drugs, Pearce ordered all of them into his office at gunpoint.
One of the teens made phone calls in an attempt to recover Pearce’s money, but was unsuccessful. Pearce slammed her head into the wall and threatened to shoot her in the head. Moments later, she was released when her brother arrived to pick her up. Some time later, Pearce ordered Tuttle to perform oral sex on him while at gun point.
Pearce later called his friend, Theodore Butterfield, and requested that he bring weapons to his workplace. On the way over, Butterfield was accompanied by Lawrence Joseph Smith and Heath Brittingham. Pearce planned on beating and then interrogating Shook, Tuttle, and Crawford as to who had stolen his money.
Pearce, Butterfield, Smith, Brittingham, Tuttle, and Crawford drove to a deserted area. Pearce ordered Tuttle out of the car and left it to Smith to “rough him up.” Smith shot Tuttle in the back of his head with a .40-caliber pistol.
Afterwards, Pearce drove 200 yards down the road and stopped at another site. Pearce ordered Crawford out of the car and, despite Crawford pleading for his life, he shot Crawford in the arm and the head with the same pistol Tuttle was shot with. Once the men left the scene, Smith threatened Butterfield and Brittingham that he would kill them if they “snitched.”
On the morning of September 14, 1999, police located and interviewed Butterfield and Brittingham. Later in the day, Smith was arrested. Pearce was arrested a few weeks later. Upon Pearce’s indictment, Butterfield and Brittingham agreed to cooperate with the State and testify against Pearce and Smith for assurance that they would not be charged with any the crimes related to these offenses. In addition, Tuttle survived the gunshot wound to his head and also agreed to testify against Pearce and Smith.
Source: Florida Commission on Capital Cases
On the evening of September 13, 1999, Pearce asked his coworkers’ teenage stepson, Ken Shook, for LSD gel tablets. Shook and his friends, Stephen Tuttle and Robert Crawford went to buy the LSD with $1,200 of Pearce's money.
In a deal gone bad, the boys did not get the drugs and the money was stolen.
When the teens arrived without the money or drugs, Pearce ordered all of them into his office at gunpoint.
One of the teens made phone calls in an attempt to recover Pearce’s money, but was unsuccessful. Pearce slammed her head into the wall and threatened to shoot her in the head. Moments later, she was released when her brother arrived to pick her up. Some time later, Pearce ordered Tuttle to perform oral sex on him while at gun point.
Pearce later called his friend, Theodore Butterfield, and requested that he bring weapons to his workplace. On the way over, Butterfield was accompanied by Lawrence Joseph Smith and Heath Brittingham. Pearce planned on beating and then interrogating Shook, Tuttle, and Crawford as to who had stolen his money.
Pearce, Butterfield, Smith, Brittingham, Tuttle, and Crawford drove to a deserted area. Pearce ordered Tuttle out of the car and left it to Smith to “rough him up.” Smith shot Tuttle in the back of his head with a .40-caliber pistol.
Afterwards, Pearce drove 200 yards down the road and stopped at another site. Pearce ordered Crawford out of the car and, despite Crawford pleading for his life, he shot Crawford in the arm and the head with the same pistol Tuttle was shot with. Once the men left the scene, Smith threatened Butterfield and Brittingham that he would kill them if they “snitched.”
On the morning of September 14, 1999, police located and interviewed Butterfield and Brittingham. Later in the day, Smith was arrested. Pearce was arrested a few weeks later. Upon Pearce’s indictment, Butterfield and Brittingham agreed to cooperate with the State and testify against Pearce and Smith for assurance that they would not be charged with any the crimes related to these offenses. In addition, Tuttle survived the gunshot wound to his head and also agreed to testify against Pearce and Smith.
Source: Florida Commission on Capital Cases
Source...