Spring Hill man, 18, charged in stabbing death gets plea deal
BROOKSVILLE – An 18-year-old Spring Hill man who is charged with stabbing his mother’s boyfriend to death signed a plea deal this week that could result in a 35-year prison sentence.
Jesse Robert Daily, who was 17 at the time of the crime, faced life in prison on the second-degree murder charge until Judge Anthony Tatti accepted the agreement in court on Wednesday. He will be sentenced as an adult.
Daily sat hunched forward, reading the plea deal, his long, curly brown hair falling in front of his face.
His attorney, David Bauer of the public defender’s office, said Daily takes prescription medication for “some significant mental health issues.” Both a court-appointed doctor, his lawyer and Tatti deemed Daily competent.
Prosecutor Bill Catto said Daily was involved in an argument with his mother’s live-in boyfriend, David Floyd, on Dec. 9 at their 10036 Hayes St. home in Spring Hill.
The argument became physical when Daily punched Floyd in the face, Catto said, then left the home to take a walk.
“Floyd decided he’d had enough, and called law enforcement,” Catto said. At some point after that Daily came back, grabbed two kitchen knives and started stabbing at Floyd.
Catto said Floyd, 39, tried to defend himself with an office chair, but Daily “proceeded to jab at him and stabbed at him,” ultimately stabbing him in the chest.
The knife hit Floyd’s heart and he bled to death, Catto said. Daily later admitted to the crime, he said.
Daily has been held at the Hernando County Jail without bond since Dec. 21. He was booked on a first-degree murder charge by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, which was later changed to a second-degree murder charge by the State Attorney’s Office.
Daily’s sentencing is set for 11 a.m. on Dec. 9 – a year to the day of the deadly incident.
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