In a landmark ruling, a Florida judge has sentenced two men to death for their roles in a horrific crime that occurred more than two decades ago. Troy Victorino, 48, and Jerone Hunter, 39, were found guilty of entering a home in Deltona armed with baseball bats, resulting in the brutal murder of six people and a dog. This 2004 incident remains the deadliest mass murder in Volusia County’s history.

Following a week-and-a-half-long resentencing hearing, a jury in May recommended capital punishment for Victorino and Hunter. On Monday, Volusia Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols confirmed their fate by aligning with the jury’s recommendation and sentencing both men to death.

The pair had been previously convicted in 2006 on charges of murder, armed burglary, animal cruelty, and corpse abuse, initially receiving death sentences. However, their sentences were overturned in 2018 due to Florida’s change in law requiring unanimous jury recommendations for death penalty cases. A new jury was convened on April 20, 2023, for a resentencing hearing. Coincidentally, on that same day, Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation allowing death sentences based on an 8 out of 12 juror agreement. This led to a mistrial and the subsequent resentencing hearing earlier this year.

The tragic events unfolded on August 6, 2004, when Volusia County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence on Telford Lane. Inside, they discovered the bodies of Jonathan Gleason, 17; Michelle Nathan, 19; Erin Belanger, 22; Roberto Gonzalez, 28; Francisco Ayo Roman, 30; and Anthony Vega, 34, along with a dog that had been fatally beaten.

Investigators quickly identified Victorino and Hunter as the primary suspects. Both were apprehended the day following the gruesome murders.

Hunter initially denied being inside the home at the time of the murders but later admitted that he, Victorino, Robert Cannon and Michael Salas drove to the home in a Ford Expedition. Dressed in all black with scarves over their faces, they walked up to the home. Victorino kicked down the door, and the rest of the men followed and they all proceeded to bash the victims with baseball bats until they were dead. The victims also suffered stab wounds.

Cannon and Salas also were convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

The brutal massacre became known as the “Xbox murders” because the quartet of suspects was in search of a missing gaming console along with other items that apparently belonged to Victorino.

Victorino and Hunter showed no emotion when Nichols handed down the sentence, according to a courtroom report from the Daytona Beach News-Journal.