Florida Man Sentenced for Brutal Murder of Motel Housekeeper
Share and Follow

A Florida man was sentenced to two life terms and 132.5 more years for the murder of a Sarasota County motel housekeeper in 2021, along with other counts including battery and property damage.

Tina Strader’s husband found her badly beaten and stuffed into a closet at the Rodeway Inn where she worked in 2021, as CrimeOnline reported. Gerald Strader said he went to the hotel when she didn’t respond to texts and calls after she started cleaning a room at the motel.

Stephen Havrilka, 34, was charged with Strader’s murder and found guilty, the Sarasota Herald Tribune reported. Sarasota Circuit Court Judge Dana Moss sentenced him to life in prison for the murder and a second life term for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon for an incident while he was in jail in 2024.

Moss then handed the defendant five separate 26.5 years terms for two counts of battery by a detained person, two counts of property damage over $1,000, and one count of battery of a police officers. The two life terms are to be served concurrently with the 132.5 years to be added on as consecutive sentences.

Havrilka had been staying at the motel for several days prior to Strader’s murder, investigators said.

Assistant State Attorney Karen Fraivillig said that Havrilka first strangled Strader with his hands and her work lanyard, but when she regained consciousness stuffed a washcloth into her mouth.

“In this case, what I think is so appalling was it was a random killing,” Fraivillig said. “There was no relationship that existed between Tina Strader, the victim in this case, and the defendant.”

Havrilka was found incompetent to stand trial three times before an order restored his competency on November 22, 2023. His trial was initially set for February 2024 but was delayed several times.

In April 2024, before the trial could begin, Havrilka got into a fight with another inmate, using a sink faucet stem as a weapon.

Strader’s family did not attend the sentencing hearing, but Fraivillig read a statement from her children describing how she created handmade birthday cards.

“She’d use construction paper and build them into the kind that pop-up when you open them,” the letter states. “She used every color marker, and she brought so much color to the world.”

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

Justice Served: Mother Sentenced for Attempted Murder of Disabled Son

Inset: Julie Myhre-Schnell (Ramsey County Jail). Background: The area in Ramsey County…

Shocking Discovery: Man Uses Oven Cleaner to Erase Crime Scene Evidence, Police Say

Inset: Clay Fosse (New Mexico Department of Corrections). Background: The apartment complex…

Author of ‘How to Murder Your Husband’ Charged After Husband’s Tragic Shooting

What initially seemed like a tragic robbery at a Portland cooking school…

Man Allegedly Kills Former Partner’s Housemate at CVS, District Attorney Reports

Inset: Antonio Serrano (Clay County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The CVS in North…

Double Trouble: Police Nab Pair in Stolen Truck Linked to Home Invasion Heist

Staff Report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In the early hours today, authorities apprehended…

Pre-Trial Diversion Breach: Man Arrested for Firearm Possession at UF Campus

Staff report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – University of Florida campus police have arrested…

Florida Resident Allegedly Commits Arson Following Tragic Incident Involving Two Children and Family Dog: Authorities Report

An Escambia County resident in Florida was taken into custody following allegations…

Pregnant Police Victims Service Counselor Tragically Discovered Fatally Shot in Unoccupied Parking Lot

Samantha Dean spent her career advocating for victims of violent crimes, only…