A judge on Friday sentenced Eriese Tisdale to death for killing St. Lucie County Deputy Sgt. Gary Morales.
Sgt. Morales was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Fort Pierce in February 2013.
The sentence was read after a lengthy hearing Friday morning in which the judge cited other court cases as well as the reasons for his decision.
Before he was sentenced, Tisdale spoke to the court.
“I am truly regretful for being responsible for the pain that the (Morales family) has today,” he said.
As he was escorted out of the courtroom Tisdale was heard saying, “God will have the final say.”
Following the hearing, members of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office lined up in tribute to the Morales family.
The assistant state attorney expects there will be many appeals by Tisdale’s attorneys.
3 other St. Lucie Co. residents await execution
To date, there have been 92 inmates executed in the state of Florida since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976.
In 1984, James Adams was the last St. Lucie County resident to be executed.
The following people from St. Lucie County are still awaiting execution after being sentenced for first-degree murder:
- Richard Johnson sentenced in 2004
- Steven Hayward sentenced in 2007
- Andrew Gosciminski sentenced in 2009
Currently there are 388 inmates awaiting execution in Florida.
