Jury finds man in Orlando branch cutter attack guilty on 5 charges
A man who attacked three Orlando residents with branch cutters may face life in prison after being found guilty on five counts Friday.
An Orange County jury found Lyndell Demps, 52, guilty of home invasion robbery, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, charges that stemmed from confrontations in June.
On June 15, 2023, Demps entered a home on Mallard Pond Road, northwest of downtown Orlando, and demanded money from a man, his wife and her mother.
Law enforcement secured surveillance video that showed Demps attacking the man with long-handled branch cutters, resulting in injuries to his face and hand. The video, used during the three-day trial, also showed Demps threatening two other victims and preventing them from calling 911. Orlando Police responded to the call.
Orange County sheriff’s deputies arrested Demps after he later broke into a daycare, they said. He matched a description from the home invasion report, and he was identified by a victim. During an interview in jail, Demps told law enforcement that he was high on drugs and needed money.
The attack came seven months after Demps was released from prison, having served more than 25 years for attempted carjacking in 1996. He is considered a habitual felony offender, a habitual violent felony offender and a prison release re-offender.
Sentencing is set for June, when he could face up to life in prison.
