TAVARES, Fla. — Vickie Lynn Williams was sentenced to life in prison Friday for the stabbing deaths of retired Mount Dora couple Darryl and Sharon Getman after a jury recommended life rather than the death penalty.
Williams, 53, was convicted earlier this week of two counts of first-degree murder. The jury deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before returning the guilty verdicts.
Following the penalty phase, the jury recommended a life sentence and Lake Circuit Judge Cary F. Rada sentenced Williams to life in the Florida Department of Corrections.
The State Attorney’s Office had sought the death penalty.
“Darryl and Sharon Getman lost their lives to an act of unimaginable violence,” State Attorney Bill Gladson said. “Today, the jury made clear that their lives mattered, accountability matters, and justice does not forget. This defendant is now held responsible for her horrific crime.”
Darryl Getman, 83, and Sharon Getman, 80, were found stabbed to death Dec. 31, 2022, inside their home at Lakeside at Waterman Village in Mount Dora.
A large yellow-handled butcher knife remained lodged in Darryl Getman’s abdomen when officers found him, according to a probable cause affidavit. He also suffered severe trauma to his head and face and had defensive wounds.
Williams fled the area in the Getmans’ green Kia Soul and took jewelry and paintings belonging to the couple, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
She was arrested in Savannah, Georgia, on Jan. 2, 2023, after police located the stolen Kia Soul. Williams remained in the Lake County Jail without bond while awaiting trial.
The case was investigated by Mount Dora Police Department, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Prosecutors presented physical and forensic evidence, surveillance footage and property recovered from Williams’ possession during the trial.
FDLE analysts at the Orlando Regional Crime Laboratory also provided forensic evidence connecting Williams to the crime scene, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
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