GUILTY FL - Deborah Dalzell, 47, found raped and murdered, Sarasota, 28 March 1999 *Arrest*

[PayrollNerd]

You beat me to it - I was going to post this story too!

It is unbelievable how Fleming murdered Deborah then gets involved with another woman. IIRC he did it to see what it would be like. There is some truly scary stuff happening in Sarasota, this time of year ("snowbird season") only seems to make it worse, just anyone can come down here and start preying on vulnerable people.

Yeah I was talking to someone recently and the influx of elderly means an increase in elderly victims. I had bids on a new A/C system recently. One guy was bragging that an elderly couple in a mobile home just wrote him a check ($6,800+/-) for a new A/C earlier in the day. He was annoyed and he made it seem like I was being unreasonable by questioning the cost. I have no plans to use that guy!

 

[PayrollNerd]

Deleted double post. Not sure what is up lately with WS hanging up, not posting at all, or double posting.

 

[MaryG12]

I'm not sure what you mean. Are you suggesting that the snowbirds who come down are potential murderers, or that having so many elderly people present during snowbird season attracts murderers?

What I am saying is that "snowbird season" allows the wrong element to come down here and "blend in" quite easily and commit crimes. We have the highest number of home break-ins (read the local news), people looking for meth (a next-door neighbor was running a meth kitchen not long ago), suspect looking men who are predators (not just in North Port) or car break ins. 2015 we had a whole crime ring from Chicago down here. And then that other poor girl who was murdered, Lisa Zea, her murderer was never found:

FL - FL - Elizabeth "Lisa" Zea, 19, Sarasota, 10 January 1987

Ironically Florida is not exactly the "only warm state" this time of year.

 

[Niner]

Thursday, January 30th:
*Case Management Hearing (@ 11:30am ET) – FL – Deborah Dalzell (47) (Mar. 28, 1999, Sarasota) – *Luke Edward Fleming (39/20 @ time of crime) arrested & charged (9/17/18) & arraigned (10/19/18) with 2nd degree murder (1st degree felony), sexual assault with weapon & sexual battery with great bodily harm (Life felony). Plead not guilty. $1.2M bond. DA will not seek DP.
New DNA testing: to determine ancestry & physical traits. Parabon Nanolabs “SnapShot”/ GEDMatch.
Trial set to begin 2/24/20.
10/19/18 Update: Next is Motions hearing on 11/1. 11/1/18: Next Case Management hearing on 12/6. 12/6/18: DA will not seek the DP. Case Management hearing continued to 4/18/19. 4/18/19: Case Management hearing continued to 6/13. 6/13/19: Case management hearing continued to 8/1.
8/1/19 Update: Hearing on 8/1 was cancelled. Next Case Management hearings on 10/22, 11/12 & 12/10. Docket Call hearing on 2/10/20, and trial starts 2/24/20. 10/22/19: Next Case Management hearing on 11/12. 11/12/19: Next Case management hearing on 12/10.
12/10/19 Update: Next Case Management hearing on 1/7/20, 2/10 & 2/18. Jury trial to begin on 2/24. Case Managements hearing on 3/17, 4/28, 5/26, 6/16, 7/14, 8/18, 9/8, 10/27, 11/10 & 12/5/20 all at 10am.
1/7/20 Update: Defense motion to continue trial - denied without prejudice. Case management hearing on 1/30 @ 11:30am.

 

[Niner]

@PayrollNerd - can you access Sarasota County court site?

Luke Edward Fleming - Case# 2018 CF14305 NC

Wondering if 2/10 and the rest of the dates are "good to go".

TIA if you can!

 

[PayrollNerd]

I see this on the site. Maybe they're going straight to trial.
ClerkNet 3.0

Date Time Location Description Court Result

1/7/2020 10:00 AM COURTROOM 3B CRIMINAL - CASE MANAGEMENT

1/30/2020 11:30 AM COURTROOM 3B CRIMINAL - CASE MANAGEMENT

2/10/2020 9:00 AM COURTROOM 4B CRIMINAL - DOCKET SOUNDING Cancelled Event

2/18/2020 10:00 AM COURTROOM 3B CRIMINAL - CASE MANAGEMENT Cancelled Event

2/24/2020 9:00 AM COURTROOM 4B CRIMINAL - JURY TRIAL

3/17/2020 10:00 AM COURTROOM 3B CRIMINAL - CASE MANAGEMENT

4/28/2020 10:00 AM COURTROOM 3B CRIMINAL - CASE MANAGEMENT

5/26/2020 10:00 AM COURTROOM 3B CRIMINAL - CASE MANAGEMENT

6/16/2020 10:00 AM COURTROOM 3B CRIMINAL - CASE MANAGEMENT

7/14/2020 10:00 AM COURTROOM 3B CRIMINAL - CASE MANAGEMENT

8/18/2020 10:00 AM COURTROOM 3B CRIMINAL - CASE MANAGEMENT

9/8/2020 10:00 AM COURTROOM 3B CRIMINAL - CASE MANAGEMENT

10/27/2020 10:00 AM COURTROOM 3B CRIMINAL - CASE MANAGEMENT

11/10/2020 10:00 AM COURTROOM 3B CRIMINAL - CASE MANAGEMENT

12/15/2020 10:00 AM COURTROOM 3B CRIMINAL - CASE MANAGEMENT

 

[Niner]

Thanks a bunch PayrollNerd!

 

[Niner]

@PayrollNerd - sorry to bother you again - but can you see if the trial is still a go tomorrow 2/24? TIA!

the sun out here!

 

[PayrollNerd]

Sorry for the delay. Here's a snip. Jury trial and Motion Hearing tomorrow.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Here's the Case Docket snip:

 

[PayrollNerd]

Here's the 12 page PDF file. I haven't read it all yet.

 

[Niner]

Monday, February 24th:
*Trial set to begin & Motions Hearing (@ 9am ET) – FL – Deborah Dalzell (47) (Mar. 28, 1999, Sarasota) – *Luke Edward Fleming (20 @ time of crime/39/now 40) arrested & charged (9/17/18) & arraigned (10/19/18) with 2nd degree murder (1st degree felony), sexual assault with weapon & sexual battery with great bodily harm (Life felony). Plead not guilty. $1.2M bond. DA will not seek DP.
New DNA testing: to determine ancestry & physical traits. Parabon Nanolabs “SnapShot”/ GEDMatch.
Trial set to begin on 2/24/20.
1/30/20 Update: Case management hearings for 2/10 & 2/18 have been cancelled. Next trial set to begin on 2/24. Then Case Management hearings on 3/17, 4/28, 5/26, 6/16, 7/14, 8/18, 9/8, 10/27, 11/10 & 12/15/20 all at 10am.
2/20/20 Update: Motion in Lime filed by State: order prohibiting the Defense from introducing or otherwise discussing the following matters during opening statement, cross-examination of witnesses, or at any other time during the course of trial: The dfendant's self-serving hearsay statement. Burglary that occurred on 4/27/98. Drawings Port-a-Let Door. Motion hearings on 2/24 @ 9am, 2/25 @ 10am, 2/26 @ 9:30am, 2/27 @ 9am & 2/28 @ 10am.

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, February 25th:
*Motions Hearing (Day 2) (@ 9am ET) – FL – Deborah Dalzell (47) (Mar. 28, 1999, Sarasota) – *Luke Edward Fleming (20 @ time of crime/39/now 40) arrested & charged (9/17/18) & arraigned (10/19/18) with 2nd degree murder (1st degree felony), sexual assault with weapon & sexual battery with great bodily harm (Life felony). Plead not guilty. $1.2M bond. DA will not seek DP.
New DNA testing: to determine ancestry & physical traits. Parabon Nanolabs “SnapShot”/GEDMatch.
Trial began on 2/24/20. No info available.
1/30/20 Update: Case management hearings for 2/10 & 2/18 have been cancelled. Next trial set to begin on 2/24. Then Case Management hearings on 3/17, 4/28, 5/26, 6/16, 7/14, 8/18, 9/8, 10/27, 11/10 & 12/15/20 all at 10am.
2/20/20 Update: Motion in Lime filed by State: order prohibiting the Defense from introducing or otherwise discussing the following matters during opening statement, cross-examination of witnesses, or at any other time during the course of trial: The dfendant's self-serving hearsay statement. Burglary that occurred on 4/27/98. Drawings Port-a-Let Door. Motion hearings on 2/24 @ 9am, 2/25 @ 10am, 2/26 @ 9:30am, 2/27 @ 9am & 2/28 @ 10am.
2/24/20 Day 1 of Jury selection. No info available. Next motions hearing on 2/25.

 

[DropthePuck]

The trial began today.

Trial Begins in Brutal 1999 Cold Case Murder

 

[musicaljoke]

The trial began today.

Trial Begins in Brutal 1999 Cold Case Murder

From your link:

Luke Fleming, 41, is accused of the 1999 rape and brutal murder of Deborah Dalzell. Her body was found inside of her home in Sarasota after a co-worker became concerned and called authorities when she didn’t show up for work.

Investigators collected DNA that was left behind by the killer and entered it into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), but there was no match. The case later went cold.

In 2015, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office teamed up with Parabon NanoLabs. They submitted the DNA found at Dalzell’s home to forensic genealogists who were able to create a mockup of the suspect’s physical appearance. [...]

 

[Niner]

Wednesday, February 26th:
*Trial continues (Day 2) & Motions Hearing (Day 3) (@ 9am ET) – FL – Deborah Dalzell (47) (Mar. 28, 1999, Sarasota) – *Luke Edward Fleming (20 @ time of crime/39/now 40) arrested & charged (9/17/18) & arraigned (10/19/18) with 2nd degree murder (1st degree felony), sexual assault with weapon & sexual battery with great bodily harm (Life felony). Plead not guilty. $1.2M bond. DA will not seek DP.
New DNA testing: to determine ancestry & physical traits. Parabon Nanolabs “SnapShot”/GEDMatch.
Trial began on 2/25/20.
1/30/20 Update: Case management hearings for 2/10 & 2/18 have been cancelled. Next trial set to begin on 2/24. Then Case Management hearings on 3/17, 4/28, 5/26, 6/16, 7/14, 8/18, 9/8, 10/27, 11/10 & 12/15/20 all at 10am.
2/20/20 Update: Motion in Lime filed by State: order prohibiting the Defense from introducing or otherwise discussing the following matters during opening statement, cross-examination of witnesses, or at any other time during the course of trial: The defendant's self-serving hearsay statement. Burglary that occurred on 4/27/98. Drawings Port-a-Let Door. Motion hearings on 2/24 @ 9am, 2/25 @ 10am, 2/26 @ 9:30am, 2/27 @ 9am & 2/28 @ 10am.
2/24/20 Day 1 of Jury selection. No info available. Next motions hearing on 2/25.
2/25/20 Day 1 of Trial: The jury has been seated & the state has presented opening statements in what investigators say is a first of its kind case in the area. More testimony is expected to continue on Wednesday, 2/26. Motions hearing continues on 2/26. No other info available re witnesses.

 

[Niner]

An article from Yesterday.

Prosecution explains how DNA evidence led them to arrest man accused of killing Deborah Dalzell

February 26, 2020

SARASOTA, Fla. — Opening statements started Tuesday in the murder trial of the man accused of killing a Sarasota woman nearly 20 years ago.

The judge says he will not be seeking the death penalty against Luke Fleming, the man investigators say broke into Deborah Dalzell's home, sexually assaulted her and strangled her in 1999.

Ultimately, DNA technology led to his arrest in 2018.

The defense waived their right to an opening statement, while the state attorney used that opportunity to lay out why the DNA evidence is hard to ignore.
[.....]
Fleming's trial will pick up again Wednesday morning.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Here's a snip of what I see today:
ClerkNet 3.0

 

[Niner]

So.... @PayrollNerd - is the trial on going as they have these motions hearings? Or was the jury selection just on 2/24?? I'm confused...

 

[Niner]

Thursday, February 27th:
*Trial continues (Day 3) & Motions Hearing (Day 3) (@ 9am ET) – FL – Deborah Dalzell (47) (Mar. 28, 1999, Sarasota) – *Luke Edward Fleming (20 @ time of crime/39/now 40) arrested & charged (9/17/18) & arraigned (10/19/18) with 2nd degree murder (1st degree felony), sexual assault with weapon & sexual battery with great bodily harm (Life felony). Plead not guilty. $1.2M bond. DA will not seek DP.
New DNA testing: to determine ancestry & physical traits. Parabon Nanolabs “SnapShot” /GEDMatch.
Trial began on 2/24/20 with jury selection. Trial started on 2/25. 12 jurors & 2 alternates.
Court info from 1/30/20 thru 2/24/20 reference post #56 here:
FL - Deborah Dalzell, 47, found raped and murdered, Sarasota, 28 March 1999 *Arrest*
2/25/20 Tuesday Day 1 of Trial: The jury has been seated and the Assistant State Attorney Art Jackson has presented opening statements in what investigators say is a first of its kind case in the area. The defense waived their right to an opening statement. State witness: Sarasota County's Sheriff Tom Knight. More testimony is expected to continue on Wednesday, 2/26. Motions hearing continues on 2/26. No other info available re witnesses.
2/26/20 Wednesday Day 2: No information available yet. Trial & motions hearings continue on 2/27.