TRUNK-MURDER DEATH SENTENCE STANDS AFTER FLORIDA SUPREME COURT REJECTS COMPETENCY APPEAL

The Supreme Court of Florida has affirmed the first-degree premeditated murder conviction and death sentence of William F. Roberts, ending a lengthy appellate process centered on his choices to waive a jury trial and block his own defense team from presenting mitigating evidence.

The justices issued a per curiam opinion on June 25, 2026, confirming they found no trial court errors serious enough to overturn the conviction or the death penalty.

The case stems from the December 18, 2017, death of Roberts’ then-girlfriend, Elizabeth Hellstrom. According to court records, Roberts sent a text message to a friend, Glen Reynolds, stating he had argued with Hellstrom and that she had become unresponsive, though he claimed he was able to “bring her back.” Later that day, Roberts told Reynolds that 30 Klonopin pills were missing and eventually confessed that Hellstrom was dead in the trunk of her Toyota Camry. Roberts also noted he had a propane tank in the vehicle and intended to commit suicide.

Reynolds alerted the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies later discovered Hellstrom’s naked body in the trunk of her car, wrapped in a mattress pad and a blue tarp. Investigators also recovered a shovel, a pickaxe, a propane tank, a hose, and a regulator valve from the vehicle. A search of the couple’s shared camper revealed blood on three walls of the sleeping area and stripped bedding. DNA testing tied Roberts to a cylindrical object found at the scene that also bore Hellstrom’s DNA.

Roberts was indicted in February 2018. During his trial proceedings, Roberts made several unconventional legal decisions. He actively sought a bench trial rather than a jury trial to speed up the process, signing formal waivers for both his right to a jury and his physical presence during portions of the selection process. After the court found him guilty of premeditated murder, Roberts explicitly ordered his defense counsel not to present any mitigating evidence during the penalty phase.

Circuit Judge G. Richard Singeltary sentenced Roberts to death on July 28, 2022, after weighing two statutory aggravating factors: Roberts’ prior conviction for a violent felony and the “especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel” nature of the murder.

On initial appeal, the Florida Supreme Court temporarily paused the case in late 2023, ordering a retroactive, or nunc pro tunc, hearing to evaluate whether Roberts had been mentally competent to stand trial. Roberts refused to attend that September 2024 competency hearing in person or virtually.

During that hearing, three expert witnesses and the original trial judge testified that Roberts was competent during his trial. Experts pointed out that Roberts had successfully earned his GED while in custody, never took psychotropic medications, and consistently demonstrated linear, logical, and rational thinking in his self-filed pretrial motions. Forensic psychologist Dr. Prichard testified during the evaluation that “Mr. Roberts had no mental health symptoms” and that his courtroom outbursts reflected his personality rather than clinical incompetence. Dr. Prichard concluded that Roberts “clearly appreciated the charges and the penalties” of his situation.

Roberts’ appellate attorneys argued that this retroactive evaluation relied on stale medical records and a cold record, which they claimed violated due process.

The Florida Supreme Court rejected that argument, stating that a case-by-case analysis showed the quantity and quality of the evidence gathered was sufficient. The court concluded that the circuit court’s determination was “not unduly speculative” because it relied on the firsthand observations of the trial judge and three experts.

The justices also dismissed Roberts’ challenges to the admission of his past threats against Hellstrom, ruling that the evidence was properly allowed to complete the narrative of their volatile relationship. Finally, the court denied Roberts’ broad constitutional attacks on the death penalty and Florida’s capital sentencing structure, citing established state and federal precedents.

Chief Justice Muñiz and Justices Labarga, Couriel, Grosshans, Francis, and Sasso concurred in the decision. Justice Tanenbaum did not participate.

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