Florida Inmate Executed For Killing Wife, Child
June 19, 2014
John Ruthell Henry, who was convicted in the December 1985 for the murders of his estranged wife in Pasco County and her 5-year-old son in Hillsborough County, was put to death Wednesday at Florida State Prison near Starke. The execution came after a last-minute appeal was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Henry, 63, was convicted of killing Suzanne Henry, who was stabbed repeatedly in the throat with a kitchen knife after the two argued in her home over presents for her son Eugene Christian. Henry then took the boy to Hillsborough County.
Nine hours later, Henry used the same knife to kill the boy.
Juries in both counties sentenced Henry to death, though the death warrant for the execution referred only to the murder of Suzanne Henry. The murders occurred three years after Henry was released on parole for the 1975 murder of his first wife.
The execution came a day after a divided 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected arguments that the execution should be halted because of questions about whether Henry is intellectually disabled. The arguments centered on a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found Florida had improperly used a “rigid” IQ score of 70 in determining whether Death Row inmates are intellectually disabled, a term that has replaced mentally retarded. The U.S. Supreme Court had ruled earlier that it is unconstitutional to execute people who are intellectually disabled.
Henry’s attorney pointed to a test that showed Henry’s IQ as 78 and suggested that the IQ could be as low as 73. But in a 2-1 decision, the federal appeals court said Henry did not provide adequate evidence that he might be intellectually disabled, with mental-health experts never expressing such an opinion. Also, the majority said the U.S. Supreme Court did not make its recent ruling, known as Hall v. Florida, retroactive to cases on what is known as “collateral” review.
Henry is the 18th person executed by Florida since Scott took office. Death Row inmate Eddie Wayne Davis, 45, is scheduled to be executed July 10. Davis was convicted in a Polk County case of kidnapping 11-year-old Kimberly Waters, sexually assaulting and strangling her and leaving her body in a dumpster. Davis was a former boyfriend of Waters’ mother.
by The News Service of Florida
Raymond Brenson Silcox, Sr.
June 19, 2014
Raymond Brenson Silcox, Sr., known by friends and family as Buddy, passed away on Monday, June 16, 2014.
Buddy retired from the United States Air Force after 20 years of service and was currently working at A-1 Small Engines at his time of passing.
He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Pam Silcox; two sons, Raymond Brenson (Jennifer L.) Silcox and Brandon S. Silcox; four grandchildren, Trey, Brenson, Riley and
Shayla; two sisters, Doris Miller and Brenda McDaniel; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 21, 2014, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Bro. Brian Calhoun officiating. Burial will follow in Bayview Memorial Park Cemetery.
Family will receive friends from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Friday, June 20, 2014 at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North.
Pallbearers will be Raymond B. Silcox Jr., Brandon Silcox, Dusty Burkette , Shawn Burkette, Eddie Hicks and Tracy Hicks. Honorary pallbearer will be Mike Burkette.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is entrusted with arrangements.
Scott Signs Bills On Alzheimer’s, Cancer Centers
June 19, 2014
Gov. Rick Scott signed a trio of health care-related bills Wednesday.
Two bills (HB 709 and HB 711) address Alzheimer’s and other memory-robbing diseases, while the third (HB 5203) creates the Florida Consortium of National Cancer Institute Centers Program at the Department of Health. The consortium will be charged with allocating money, estimated by the governor’s office at about $60 million a year, to Florida’s cancer centers.
Of the bills dealing with memory-related diseases, (HB 709) requires the Division of Emergency Management to develop a special-needs shelter program for people with such diseases, creates a grant advisory board to make funding recommendations to the state surgeon general about Alzheimer’s treatment and research, and establishes the Ed and Ethel Moore Alzheimer’s Disease Research Program within the Department of Health to fund research leading to the prevention of, or a cure for, Alzheimer’s disease. The state’s $77 billion budget includes $3 million for the Ed and Ethel Moore program.
Mary Marjorie Frazier Ellis
June 19, 2014
Mary Marjorie Frazier Ellis 77, of Fidelis, died on Tuesday, June 17, 2014, at home with her family by her side. She was born on March 26, 1937, in Brewton to Gene and Cora Frazier. She was married to Willie Green Ellis on January 23, 1953, and moved to the Fidelis community where she became a lifelong resident of Santa Rosa County. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and sister. She was an outstanding cook and professional cake decorator. She enjoyed family vacations, spending holidays with family and friends, reading, sewing, and teaching the word of God. She was a member, teacher and the women’s leader at the Community of Christ Church in Berrydale for over 50 years. She always put God and family first, as they were the two most important things in her life. We will all miss her dearly, but her memories will live on forever and ever until we reunite with her in heaven.
She was preceded in death by her father, Gene Frazier; mother, Cora Frazier; sisters, Lucille Cook, Mildred Sproule, Anne Mae Harden; and brother, Howard Frazier.
She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Willie Green Ellis of Fidelis; three sons, Ricky (Sherry, also like a daughter) of Fidelis, Randy (Teresa) of Berrydale, Terry (Linda) of Milton; one daughter, Jenny (Rick) Lowery of Jay; one sister, Ann (Elmo) Fillingim of Cantonment; one brother, Gene (Sara) Frazier of Brewton; and 10 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews and a special family friend, Jane Berry.
Funeral services will be Saturday, June 21, 2014, at Jay Funeral Home. Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. followed by the service.
Burial will be held at the Community of Christ Church Cemetery in Berrydale with Jay Funeral Home directing.
Active pallbearers will be Jeremy Ellis, Jared Ellis, Bryan Ellis, Ryan Ellis, Brandon Ellis and Brad Lowery.
The family would like to give special thanks to Dr. David Smith and the entire Covenant Hospice staff for their kind and compassionate care.
Man Arrested For Shooting Pizza Delivery Driver
June 18, 2014
An Escambia County man is behind bars, charged with shooting a pizza delivery driver.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received two calls about 1:20 p.m. Wednesday — the first from a male saying that he’d been shot and needed medical attention, the second from shooting suspect David Trevor Burgess saying that he might have killed someone.
The pizza delivery driver that was shot was delivering pizza to Burgess’s roommate at a residence of Michigan Avenue. Burgess admitted to deputies that he was using acid and marijuana and does not recall the incident, which was witnessed by the roommate.
Burgess has been charged with aggravated battery, aggravated assault and deadly missiles. He being held with bond set at $80,000.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said their investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Cantonment Man Sentenced To Prison In Child Porn Case
June 18, 2014
A Cantonment man was sentenced to prison Tuesday on child pornography charges for downloading sexually explicit pictures and movies of children from the internet onto his home computer.
Jason Scott Bergen, 42, was originally charged with a total of 25 counts of possession of obscene material/child pornography in September 2013. Fifteen of those child pornography charges were dropped when Bergen entered a no contest plea to the remaining 10 charges. He was sentenced by Judge Michael Jones to five years in state prison to be followed by 10 years probation.
Agents with the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force initiated a search warrant at Bergen’s residence at 806 Chesapeake Trail in late September 20113 after he was identified via the internet as downloading child pornography.
Task force members from the Office of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Walton County Sheriff’s Department assisted the Pensacola Police Department with the investigation.
Pictured top and bottom: Law enforcement executes a search warranat the home of Jason Scott Bergen in Cantonment during September 2013. The suspect’s address, 806 Chesapeake Trail, is the house to the far right (foreground) of the bottom picture. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Sentenced To Hundreds Of Years In Prison For Child Molestation
June 18, 2014
An Escambia County has been sentenced to hundreds of years in prison on child sexual molestation charges.
Lee Calvin Pardue was sentenced by Circuit Judge Marci Goodman to three consecutive life sentences followed by a total of 200 years in state prison, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
Lee Calvin Pardue was convicted of two counts of sexual battery on a child, lewd or lascivious molestation, five counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child and 25 counts of possession of photos depicting sexual conduct by a child.
A Santa Rosa County Jury deliberated for about an hour before finding the 44-year old Escambia County man guilty of all charges.
Pardue was arrested on November 8, 2012, following an investigation by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office after Pardue had told an acquaintance that he took sexual photos of himself with a child. While babysitting one of the victims during the summer of 2012, Pardue committed sexual acts on the child. The images depicting these acts were discovered on
Pardue’s digital camera during a search of his home by investigators.
Images depicting sexual conduct by two other children were also discovered on Pardue’s camera. These children were able to be identified by Sheriff’s Office investigators, who found that both of the victims had been to Pardue’s home.
Pardue faces charges in another case for lewd or lascivious molestation that is currently scheduled for trial on July 7.
Sunshine Hill Road Closure
June 18, 2014
Sunshine Hill Road in Molino is scheduled to be closed most of today.
Sunshine Hill Road between Crabtree Church Road and Suncrest Lane will be closed from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. as crews replace a crossover pipe.
Hot With A Chance Of Showers
June 18, 2014
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Today A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
- Tonight A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Thursday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
- Thursday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Friday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning.
- Friday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
- Saturday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
- Saturday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Sunday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 94.
- Sunday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
- Monday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92.
- Monday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71.
- Tuesday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91
Council On Aging Needs Fans, Air Conditioners For Seniors
June 18, 2014
The Council on Aging of West Florida is in need of donations to help senior clients stay cool during the hot summer months.
Many clients are in need of fans and air conditioners. Donations, which must be new in the box, can be dropped off at the Council on Aging Office at 875 Royce Street in Pensacola.
Online donations towards fans and air conditioners can also be made by calling (850) 432-1475.