ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, who called 911 from inside the trunk of her car, will not face capital punishment, according to state attorney’s office records.
Orange-Osceola County State Attorney Aramis Ayala filed a notice of intention on March 16 not to seek the death penalty.
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Ayala announced last week that she would not be pursuing capital punishment for any cases while she is in office.
“It is not in the best interest of the people of the State of Florida to pursue the death penalty as a potential sentence,” read the notice.
Jasmine Samuel, 25, was found shot to death inside her car's trunk hours after she called 911 and said she had been forced into the trunk by her ex-boyfriend, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said Samuel was on a break while working at Sonoco Consumer Products just after midnight when she was forced into her trunk by David Payne, 62.
A manhunt was launched after Samuel’s death to find Payne, who was captured at an Orlando Sam's Club days after Samuel's death.
Payne was indicted by a grand jury on Feb. 2 on charges of first-degree murder with a firearm and kidnapping with intent to inflict harm or terror with a firearm.
Payne is one of five defendants currently awaiting trial in Orange and Osceola Counties who could have been put to death if convicted.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott singed a new death penalty law on March 13 requiring a unanimous jury recommendation before capital punishment can be imposed.
The new law was a fix to Florida’s previous death penalty law that was found unconstitutional last year.
The state has executed 23 prisoners under Scott, more than under any other governor since capital punishment was reinstated in Florida in 1979.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.