In Sebring, Florida, a jury has sentenced 27-year-old Zephen Xaver to death for the tragic shooting of five women at a SunTrust Bank back in 2019. The decision came after a detailed penalty phase, with nine jurors voting for the death penalty and three against. Earlier this year, in March, Xaver had pleaded guilty to first-degree murder with a firearm, admitting responsibility for the deaths of Marisol Lopez, Debra Cook, Ana Williams, Jessica Montague, and Cynthia Watson.
The horrific incident unfolded on January 23, 2019, just around noon. Xaver entered the SunTrust Bank armed with a 9mm handgun. According to court records, he forced Lopez, a bank employee, to lock the doors before making everyone lie face-down on the floor. He then began shooting, starting with Lopez and moving methodically from left to right, targeting each victim in turn. When Cynthia Watson tried to turn her head, he shot her multiple times.
Witness accounts and court documents described the killings as chillingly deliberate. Xaver reportedly appeared calm, even smirking as he checked his gun between shots. Investigators later called the crime “heinous, atrocious, and cruel,” painting a picture of unimaginable violence.
In the weeks leading up to the attack, there were troubling signs. Just days after getting his driver’s license—required to purchase a firearm—Xaver withdrew money from his bank account and bought a gun. He later joined online chat groups discussing murder and even asked members what might happen to a killer’s family. Four days before the shooting, he purchased a bulletproof vest.
Disturbing notes found on Xaver’s phone revealed his mindset. One message read, “My heart races as I crave the taste of blood and mayhem… I thrive on chaos.” On the day of the shooting, he texted his ex-girlfriend, cryptically calling it a “great day” and hinting he wouldn’t survive it. He later messaged her again, saying he wasn’t “going out alone” and planned to take lives. “Watch for me on the news Sebring Florida,” one text read.
The violence lasted just minutes. A bank employee who was in the break room heard the gunshots and managed to escape, calling for help. At 12:36 p.m., Xaver himself dialed 911 to confess. He calmly told the dispatcher that he had killed five people inside the bank. Law enforcement arrived quickly, and after nearly two hours of negotiations, officers forced their way in, arresting Xaver and finding all five victims dead.
The story of Xaver’s troubled past also emerged during the trial. Reports revealed he had struggled with mental health issues from a young age. At 14, he told a school nurse he had dreams of becoming a school shooter. Later, he briefly joined the military but was discharged after sharing homicidal thoughts with a fellow recruit. In late 2018, he began training as a corrections officer but quit after two months, around the same time his mother accompanied him to a gun store.
During the sentencing hearing, the daughter of Marisol Lopez spoke directly to Xaver. “You shattered me into a million pieces,” she said. “I will celebrate the day you die… you will always be a killer, a coward, a nobody, and a waste of human life.”
Judge Angela Cowden, delivering the death sentence, added a solemn note. “May God have mercy on your soul,” she told Xaver.
The case has left a profound impact on the Sebring community, with families of the victims mourning their loved ones and struggling to move forward after such an unimaginable tragedy.
