Man accused of killing two men in 2003 appears in court

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Twelve years ago, fear gripped the Tampa Bay gay community after two men disappeared without a trace.

On Monday, the man accused of their murder was back in a Tampa courtroom.

Scott Schweickert has already been convicted in federal court on drug charges and is serving a 40-year sentence.

But Schweickert now faces murder charges. He is accused of killing and torturing the victims, Michael Wachholtz and Jason Galehouse.

Sources told FOX 13 that Schweickert is willing to admit only to certain crimes to avoid a death penalty.

The State Attorney's Office is reviewing the issue, but no decision has been made.

The victims disappeared in 2003. Schweickert admitted picking up the men at a gay nightclub in Tampa, but he pinned the blame on co-defendant Steven Lorenzo.

Prosecutors said Lorenzo and Schweickert drugged, tortured and killed the men.

Lorenzo is serving a 200-year prison sentence for drugging the men with the date rape drug GHB.

As for Schweickert, he will be back in court in January.