Man re-sentenced to death for cocaine-fueled stabbing murder

A new sentencing yields the same results for a local man charged with stabbing his father’s girlfriend 90 times while high on cocaine.

29-year-old Leo Kaczmar III was sentenced to death today. He received a new sentencing hearing for the 2008 murder because the Florida Supreme Court threw out an attempted sexual battery conviction on appeal. The State Attorney’s Office tells us a jury unanimously voted to send Kaczmar back to death row.

In addition to murdering 49-year-old Mary Ruiz, Kaczmar attempted to cover up his tracks by setting the home where the crime happened on fire. He also paid an undercover officer $300 to frame someone else and intimidate witnesses.

The Florida Supreme Court upheld his convictions for first degree murder and first degree arson.