Sumter County Stories
A list of the most recent stories about Sumter County.
New memorial service for WWII vet improperly buried in cardboard box
A new memorial service is in the works in Sumter County for a WWII veteran who was improperly buried in a cardboard box. Crews discovered Lawrence Davis Jr.'s remains in April during a raise-and-realign project at the Florida National Cemetery. The Department of Veteran Affairs doesn't have the power to ...
Hundreds honor veterans at Florida National Cemetery
It is the second largest veteran's cemetery next to Arlington National in Virginia, and on Monday, Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell was the site of a large ceremony honoring the nation's and Florida's veterans. There were some heavy downpours in the hour leading up to the start of the ceremony, ...
Man sentenced to death for 1987 murder
A hitchhiker from Indiana is on death row for a 1987 murder of a Sumter County Walmart manager. The case was only solved after detectives tested the evidence for DNA 17 years later. On July 14, 1987, Adrian Mobley's body was found on County Road 475 near Bushnell. The killer, ...
Man convicted in Tarrytown murders gets 2 death sentences
A man convicted in a Sumter County double-murder trial wanted to get the death penalty, and Tuesday, Bill Marquardt got what he wanted. A jury convicted Marquardt in October 2011 of the 2000 murders in a bizarre trial in which he defended himself. Marquardt has spent time in a mental ...
Convicted Tarrytown murderer asks for death sentence
A man convicted of a double murder in Tarrytown said he wants the death penalty. Bill Marquardt represented himself in his murder trial in October. Then, he refused to allow a jury to recommend his sentence. Marquardt acted as his own attorney during his double murder trial last fall. But ...
Death penalty hearing set for Sumter Co. convicted killer
A death penalty hearing has been set for convicted killer, Bill Marquardt. The Wisconsin man was convicted last month for the murders of two women in Tarrytown 11 years ago. During the trial Marquardt acted as his own attorney, but he did not want the jury to recommend his sentence. ...
Man accused of stabbing parents arrested after chase
A man accused of trying to murder his parents was finally caught after leading deputies on a high-speed chase through three counties. Deputies caught 28-year-old Thomas Fey around 10 p.m. Tuesday after a high-speed chase through Orange, Lake and Sumter counties. He was finally caught on State Road 50 in ...
Hundreds gather at Sumter Co. cemetery to observe Veteran's Day
As the nation observed Veterans Day on Friday, hundreds of people from all over the state gathered in Sumter County. WFTV reporter Berndt Petersen was at Friday morning's special ceremony at the Florida National Cemetery. The Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell covers 500 acres, and more than 100,000 service men ...
NB I-75 reopen in Sumter Co. after crash
A tractor trailer crashed into a detached trailer after a driver of a minivan that was carrying the trailer lost control and hit a guardrail, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The tractor trailer that was carrying lime rock overturned after it crashed into the detached trailer, spilling lime ...
Paranoid schizophrenic found guilty of Terrytown murders
A jury found a paranoid schizophrenic guilty of a Sumter County double murder on Wednesday. Bill Marquardt's reaction to the jury's decision was that he wanted to be executed. Marquardt was pulled from a Wisconsin mental hospital to stand trial for the murders of two women in a Terrytown cottage. ...
Man defending self in murder trial calls family to stand
It's been one of the strangest trials WFTV has ever covered, and on Monday the paranoid schizophrenic defending himself in two murders began calling his own witnesses, which included his father and his sister. Bill Marquardt is accused of killing two women in their Terrytown cottage. The jury does not ...
Prosecutors to wrap up case in Sumter Co. double murder trial
Prosecutors are expected to wrap up their case in the Sumter County double murder trial of Bill Marquardt on Friday. He's accused of shooting and stabbing Margarita Ruiz and Esperanza Wells in their Tarrytown cottage in 2000. Marquardt, who is acting as his own attorney despite facing the death penalty, ...
Paranoid schizophrenic's antics in court frustrates prosecutor
There were plenty of courtroom theatrics at a double murder trial on Thursday, where a paranoid schizophrenic defended himself. WFTV reporter Berndt Petersen was inside the Sumter County courtroom as the outbursts play out, while detectives explained how the weapons they found connected the defendant, Bill Marquardt, to the deaths ...
Suspect claims he wasn't in Fla. when Terrytown killings occurred
Prosecutors in a Sumter County double murder trial may have had their biggest day yet. The defendant, Bill Marquardt, claimed he wasn't in Florida during the 2000 Tarrytown murders. He was removed from a mental health facility in order to stand trial for the murders. However, DNA evidence proves he ...
DNA expert to testify in Sumter Co. double murder trial
A DNA expert is expected to testify on Wednesday in the trial for a Sumter County double murder. Bill Marquardt is accused of killing two women 11 years ago. He is representing himself in the trial and during opening statements he said he was framed by drug dealers. Marquardt claims ...
Accused killer defends self, claims he was framed by drug dealers
The Wisconsin man accused of murdering two Sumter County women 11 years ago told the jury on Tuesday that drug dealers framed him. Bill Marquardt, a known paranoid-schizophrenic, is defending himself against double murder charges. He was removed from a maximum security mental hospital to stand trial. "At this trial, ...
Authorities: Paranoid-schizophrenic to defend self in murder trial
A paranoid-schizophrenic is being allowed to defend himself in a double murder trial, WFTV learned on Monday. Bill Marquardt was found not guilty of murdering his mother in Wisconsin, but was later locked up in a mental institution for animal cruelty. Between those two events, prosecutors said he killed two ...
Deputies: Child Found Living In Unfit Residence
On Saturday, Sheriff’s deputies responded to a Lake Panasoffkee residence regarding allegations of child neglect. When they arrived, 32-year-old Alta B. Risen showed signs indicative of being under the influence of a narcotic and determined the residence was unfit for occupancy. Deputies said they found dirty clothes piled around the ...
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