Two years ago, Randy W. Tundidor was convicted of the murder of his landlord, Nova Southeastern University professor Joseph Morrissey, and recommended execution by the jury in a 12-0 vote. However, the defendant has not been sentenced yet because of several post conviction appeals.
Although a two-year gap between conviction and sentencing is rare in any case, issues regarding the competency of the defendants previous lawyer–now a judge–and the conduct of the judge that presided over the case have caused a delay in this case. The appealing process alone took over a year and the defendant was denied.
According to authorities, Tundidor was convicted of murder, attempted murder, armed robbery and kidnapping on May 9, 2012. Because Professor Morrissey was evicting the defendant from a Plantation townhouse, Tundidor recruited his son, Randy H. Tundidor, to attack the Morrissey home. Testifying against the father, the younger Tundidor told the jury that he kidnapped the Morrisseys and took, took them to a bank, and made them take out $500 before he returned them to their home. Tundidor was allegedly watching the Morrisseys’ 5-year-old son. After the transaction was made, the elder Tundidor stabbed Morrissey to death, then he and his son set fire to the house, intending to kill Morrissey’s wife and son. Thankfully, both the mother and the son survived the fire.
According to the prosecutor, the Tundidor case is coming to a close. His status court date is on Wednesday and his hearing will be in late July. While the elder Tundidor pleads for his life, his 25 year old son was already sentenced in 2012 to 40 years in prison for his role in the crime.
For more information go to: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2014-06-08/news/fl-tundidor-sentencing-preview-20140607_1_elder-tundidor-joseph-morrissey-randy-h
