Hillsborough Co. grandmother killed with vacuum; case stalls

TAMPA (FOX 13) - The case against the man charged with killing a 78-year-old grandmother with her own vacuum cleaner has stalled. 

Loretta Jackson was killed in 2014. Investigators charged Jonathan Kendrick, who is now 27, with her death. Police say he walked away with $30 and her EBT card. He was arrested after police say he was caught on camera trying to use the card at a nearby market.

But now, the case against him has stalled. Monday morning, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Mark Wolfe wanted to know why.

"I am getting a lot of notices asking why some of these defendants spend years in jail," asked Wolfe.

The prosecutors and the public defender both said the delay was due to it being a death penalty case, but that didn't seem to satisfy Judge Wolfe.

"I know, but some of these defendants have been sitting in jail for two years," Wolfe fired back.

Wolfe put both attorneys on notice to get this case resolved soon.

Kendrick is scheduled to be back in court in early January.