The Brief
A Florida man has been sentenced to life in prison for the sexual battery and murder of his neighbor.
Tyler Ryan Hirsch was only 16 years old when officials say he killed 33-year-old Melody Victoria Bennett.
Bennett was found with multiple stab wounds in her home by her brother.
SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. - A Florida man has been sentenced to life in prison for the sexual battery and murder of his neighbor when he was only 16 years old, officials say.
Latest case updates
What we know
Tyler Ryan Hirsch, 24, has been sentenced in the murder case of 33-year-old Melody Victoria Bennett. Hirsch was only 16 years old at the time of the crime.
Back in March, Hirsch entered an open plea to the court and was convicted of first-degree murder, attempted sexual battery while armed, burglary of a dwelling while armed and three counts of battery on a law enforcement officer.
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Hirsch was sentenced by Judge Mary P. Hatcher to Life in the Florida Department of Corrections.
‘Horrific act of violence’
What they're saying
"This was a senseless and horrific act of violence that devastated a family and shocked an entire neighborhood," Walter Forgie, Fifth Judicial Circuit chief assistant state attorney, said. "We are grateful to the investigators who worked tirelessly on this case and to the judge for today’s life sentence, which ensures that the defendant will never again be in a position to harm another innocent person."
The backstory
On Jan. 25, 2018, the day after Bennett’s thirty-third birthday, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) deputies responded to calls of a dead person at a home off County Road 625 in Bushnell. When deputies arrived at the home, Bennett's brother said he came to his sister's home to check in on her after not hearing from her for a few days. When he entered the home, he found his sister dead inside.
Officials began their investigation into Bennett's death after determining she died from a homicide. Deputies say she had numerous stab wounds on her body. Investigators determined Bennett had died between the night of Jan. 21 and Jan. 22 due to multiple sharp force injuries.
During their investigation, officials conducted a neighborhood canvas and spoke with then-16-year-old Hirsch. Hirsch said he knew Bennett, as they were neighbors and she was a family friend. Hirsch denied any knowledge of the crime.
However, officials later learned that the day Bennett's body was located – when there was a large law enforcement presence in the area – Hirsch was picked up by his school bus driver. The driver asked what was going on, and Hirsch allegedly said that a woman was stabbed to death. At that time, law enforcement officials had not released any information about the crime or the manner of death.
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Law enforcement later responded to Hirsch’s school, where they were able to speak with his teacher. The teacher said that on the morning of Jan. 22, 2018, Hirsch had requested to go to the school nurse to retrieve a band-aid. The teacher said Hirsch had a large gash and other minor cuts on his hand. When asked what happened, Hirsch told his teacher he didn’t want to talk about it and that it was personal.
Law enforcement met with Hirsch’s parents and requested an interview with him. During the interview, Hirsch’s story about his interactions with Bennett changed. Authorities collected a DNA sample from Hirsch to compare to the DNA found at the scene. After months of investigation and a positive DNA match comparison, Hirsch was arrested on Jan. 17, 2019, for the death of Bennett.
The Source
This story was written based on information shared by the Office of the State Attorney's Fifth Judicial Circuit in Florida.
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