BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Vahtiece Kirkman was found guilty in the Brevard County trial for the murder of a 22-year-old former Bahamian beauty queen.
Kirkman was accused of planning the 2006 murder of Darice Knowles, who prosecutors say was buried alive under concrete in Cocoa.
It took less than two hours for the jury to return with a guilty verdict for first-degree murder.
The prosecution's main witness, Chris Pratt, an ex-boyfriend of Knowles, said Kirkman forced him to commit the murder by threatening him with a gun.
Prosecutors believe Knowles was killed because she knew about the murder of Willie Parker, which Kirkman is serving a life sentence for.
The final witness called Friday morning said he knew Kirkman through a man who used to work for him at his concrete business, but he said he never told Kirkman to buy a shovel or concrete.
Defense attorneys argued the entire case is built on Pratt's testimony and that there's no forensic evidence linking Kirkman to the murder.
"There is no other evidence in the testimony. The testimony of (Pratt), (who) is a multi-time convicted felon, (is) the one that cut a deal with the state of Florida. Two homicides for 20 years," a defense attorney in the case said.
They said Pratt was the only one who got out of the van and the only one who participated in the digging of the hole the victim was found in.
The jury will meet again on Monday to discuss if Kirkman will get the death penalty.
Cox Media Group
