David Murdock sentenced to life in prison without parole, following jury recommendation

David Marshall Murdock was sentenced on Friday to life in state prison without the possibility of parole for the 2019 killing of Lisa Bunce in Haines City.

Circuit Judge J. Kevin Abdoney followed the jury’s recommendation during Murdock’s trial in March, when the jury found him guilty of first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder with a firearm, armed burglary of a dwelling with a firearm and shooting into an occupied dwelling.

The jury decided against a death penalty, which the prosecution had sought.

Murdock received life in prison for the attempted second-degree murder with 25 years being served as a mandatory minimum, 30 years for armed burglary of a dwelling to run concurrently with count two, and 15 years for shooting into an occupied dwelling, also to run concurrently with count two.

Murdock has 30 days to appeal his convictions and sentences.

Murdock, 65, of Lake Wales, killed Bunce, 56, on Jan. 5, 2019, while she was in Haines City visiting her friend Sanda Andrews, 71, according to evidence at his trial.

The best friends had often traveled like snowbirds between the Midwest and Florida and stayed at Andrews' home at 373 Melbourn Drive in the Sweetwater Golf and Tennis Community.

The prosecution said Murdock shot and killed his ex-girlfriend after wounding her best friend as the women sat in the Florida room of Andrews’ home.  He then called 911 and told a call taker that he had “to get rid of the devil.” 

He appeared in court Friday dressed in orange Polk County Jail clothes and declined to make a statement prior to the judge imposing the sentences. Often in tears, he had testified on his own behalf during the evidentiary and penalty phases of the trial.

Other than speaking with the attorneys, Abdoney did not say anything beyond listing the sentences for each conviction.

Before the sentences were handed down, a friend and sister were among those who knew Bunce and gave courtroom statements directed at the defendant.

Andrews told him he was insecure, pathetic, a liar and manipulative.

“It’s disgusting that the devil you wanted to kill was inside of you, and you were too chicken to kill that one,” she said.

It was Bunce who was responsible for all the good times the three of them had together at local bars, she said. And it was Bunce who had encouraged him to reconnect with his family.

Andrews said she was glad Friday was the last day she would have to see Murdock and enjoyed knowing she would leave the courtroom with her freedom, and he would not.

“Today is the last day I will have to put up with you breathing my air,” she said. “You will rot in hell, which is called jail.”

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: David Murdock gets life in prison for 2019 murder of ex-girlfriend