Steven Lorenzo, a 65-year-old from Florida, was sentenced to death by a US judge for the gruesome murders of Jason Galehouse and Michael Wachholtz. Before the sentence was announced, Lorenzo made a peculiar request to Judge Christopher Sabella, asking for the death penalty himself. This unusual moment was captured on camera during the February 2023 hearing at the Hillsborough County Courthouse.
In the footage, Judge Sabella inquired if anyone wished to speak before delivering the sentence. Lorenzo raised his hand, thanked everyone present, and told the prosecutors he held ‘no animosity’ towards them. He then requested the death penalty, explaining his rationale: “At my age I want to be comfortable so I’m asking you to give me the death sentence. I know I can be on death row for about 10 to 15 years which I think is crazy,” Lorenzo said. “The sooner I get euthanized, the faster I can fetch myself a new body and come back again. That’s how I look at it.”
Judge Sabella responded by making it clear that Lorenzo’s request would not affect his decision. “I don’t know if what you say is perhaps some form of reverse psychology, nor do I care, I will not consider what you want in issuing my sentence,” the judge stated.
The judge also referenced testimony from Galehouse’s and Wachholtz’s mothers, Pam Williams and Ruth Wachholtz, praising their strength. He quoted Williams, saying, “From one Italian to another, Ti condanno a morte,” which means “I sentence you to death,” emphasizing that this was the punishment deserved for Lorenzo’s horrific crimes.
Steven Lorenzo, a man from Florida, was convicted for the gruesome murders of Jason Galehouse and Michael Wachholtz, both 26. The crimes, committed in 2003, were carried out with his accomplice, Scott Schweickert. They lured the victims to Lorenzo’s home, where they were tortured… pic.twitter.com/yiz5HoR583
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Lorenzo was found guilty of luring Galehouse and Wachholtz, both 26, to his Tampa home, where he tortured and murdered them. His accomplice, Scott Schweickert, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in 2016.
Galehouse and Wachholtz disappeared in December 2003 after meeting Lorenzo at a nightclub in Tampa, and their remains were later found in bins scattered around the city. Schweickert made a plea deal to avoid the death penalty and disclosed the gruesome details of their crimes, stating that he and Lorenzo had drugged, tortured, and killed the victims before disposing of their bodies. Lorenzo had initially pleaded not guilty but later submitted a 147-page letter in November 2022, requesting the death penalty for his crimes.