TJ Wiggins penalty phase resumes as jury weighs death penalty or life sentence
Triple murder case sentencing
The penalty phase is underway in a Polk County triple murder case. FOX 13’s Matthew McClellan reports.
BARTOW, Fla. - Jurors are expected to hear a second day of penalty phase testimony Friday as they decide whether convicted triple murderer Tony "TJ" Wiggins should be sentenced to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Frostproof Triple Murder Sentencing
What we know:
Earlier this week, the same jury convicted Wiggins of first-degree murder in the 2020 shooting deaths of Brandon Rollins, Keven Springfield and Damion Tillman. Prosecutors argued the killings stemmed from a dispute involving a truck engine and ended with an ambush during a fishing trip near Frostproof.
The trial has now shifted from determining Wiggins' guilt to deciding his punishment.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear when jurors will finish hearing testimony and begin deliberations on Wiggins' sentence. The exact timeline for the judge to hand down the final sentence after receiving the jury's recommendation has not been confirmed.
Family impact statements
The backstory:
Thursday's testimony focused first on the lives of the three victims and the impact their deaths continue to have on their families.
Rather than describing the shootings themselves, several relatives spent their time telling jurors who the men were before they were killed.
Brandon Rollins' mother, Dottie Payton, spoke for about four minutes, describing her son's love of fishing, hog hunting and training dogs, the job he loved, and his hopes of one day starting a family. She told jurors her family still gathers every month at Brandon's memorial, more than six years after his death.
"He had a future ahead of him that he didn't get to fulfill," Payton said. "He didn't have children, but had hopes of one day that never got to happen... I was hoping for more, but I'll never get that chance."
Other family members shared memories of milestones they said their loved ones never got to experience.
A letter from Keven Springfield's niece recalled childhood summers, family traditions and conversations that will never happen. Brandon Rollins' niece described missing him at her graduation, her 15th birthday and when she got her driver's license.
Damion Tillman's mother remembered her son as someone who "always had a smile on his face" and "loved to help anyone with anything."
"Our lives will never be the same," she testified.
Jury Penalty Recommendation
What's next:
After the prosecution concluded its victim impact testimony Thursday, the defense began presenting mitigation evidence.
Defense attorneys called mental health experts and witnesses who described Wiggins' upbringing, including testimony about poverty, instability and abuse. They are expected to continue presenting those witnesses Friday as they argue jurors should recommend a sentence of life in prison rather than death.
Once both sides finish presenting evidence and deliver closing arguments, jurors will recommend either the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. The judge will impose the final sentence.
Why you should care:
The penalty phase is separate from the trial that determined Wiggins' guilt. Jurors have already convicted him of three counts of first-degree murder. Their remaining task is to recommend the punishment after hearing evidence from both prosecutors and the defense about the impact of the crimes and Wiggins' background.
The Source: This story is based on courtroom testimony from Thursday's penalty phase proceedings, the trial transcript of victim impact statements, court records filed in Polk County, and information from the Polk County court proceedings observed and summarized by FOX 13 News. It also incorporates previously reported facts from the guilty verdict and statements made in open court.