The news of a cold-blooded plot to assassinate a young man in July 1993 stunned the people of Broward County, Florida. Bobby Kent vanished out of nowhere, only to later be found dead. Later, the police heard a disturbing story about buddies planning a horrible murder. People Magazine Presents: Crimes of the 90s 1993: Death Pact, a programme on Investigation Discovery, details how the authorities identified the seven people accountable for Bobby’s murder. So, if you’re also interested in learning more, we can help.
How Passed Away Bobby Kent?
To Iranian immigrants Fred and Farah Kent in Broward County, Bobby was born in April 1973. The 20-year-old was best friends with Martin Puccio and was seen as a popular youngster at the time. They were seen as inseparable because they grew up together. But all of a sudden, in the middle of July 1993, Bobby seemed to vanish without a trace.
Then, according to the programme, four weeks after Bobby vanished, the police discovered Bobby’s body at a lake in Weston, Florida, thanks to a tip. The 20-year-old had numerous stab wounds on his body and had a sad fate. He was stabbed and cut at least twelve times, and his throat was slashed, according to the medical examiner who performed the autopsy. Bobby also sustained a head injury from blunt force trauma.
Who was Bobby Kent’s killer?
When the police first approached Martin, he insisted he didn’t know what had happened to Bobby. According to the programme, he said that on the evening of his disappearance on July 15, 1993, his friend had left for a date with a different girl and never returned. After investigating a few of Bobby’s other buddies, the police concluded there was more going on than initially appeared.
Donald, Martin, and Kaufman
Martin’s girlfriend at the time, Lisa Connelly, believed Bobby was a bully who mistreated Martin. Furthermore, Lisa’s friend Alice Willis and Bobby were once romantically involved. Additionally, she had complained about how poorly Bobby treated her and said that he had raped her the day before he passed away. The friend circle became the target of suspicion as a result. Lisa’s cousin Derek Dzvirko eventually informed the police about what had transpired.
According to the investigation, Lisa and Alice started discussing killing Bobby because of the way he was acting towards the other members of the group. Additionally, Donald Semenec, who was then dating Alice, and Martin became involved. According to the authorities, Lisa planned everything, and Alice joined later. The two individuals who eventually joined the organisation were Heather Swallers and self-described hitwoman Derek Kaufman.
Alice and Lisa
The police believed that the initial aim was to lure Bobby to a Weston construction site where he would be shot. That, however, never transpired. Instead, they invited Bobby to the same location on July 15, 1993, under the guise of drag racing. Donald then stabbed Bobby in the throat before Martin began the savage assault as Alice kept him preoccupied. Kaufman finally used an aluminium baseball bat to strike Bobby. Later, they relocated him to the lake and left him there.
Where Do Bobby Kent’s Murderers Live Today?
Martin later testified that Bobby would hit him without cause and that he no longer wanted to be his friend. Martin was ultimately found guilty of first-degree murder and murder conspiracy. Originally facing the death penalty, his sentence was commuted to life in prison in March 1998. According to prison records, Martin, who is now 49 years old, is still detained at the South Florida Reception Center in Doral, Miami-Dade County.
Heather and Dzvirko
Donald, who was 19 years old at the time, was found guilty of second-degree murder and given a life term in prison in May 1995. At the Gulf Correctional Institution in Wewahitchka, Florida, he is completing his term. First-degree murder and murder conspiracy were found to have been committed by Kaufman. He was given a life sentence in prison in June 1995 and is now being held at the Tomoka Correctional Institution in Daytona Beach, Florida.
After being found guilty of second-degree murder, 20-year-old Lisa Connelly was given a life term in prison in May 1995. However, an appeals court overruled it and gave her a 22-year term. She reportedly resides in Pennsylvania with her husband and son and works as an optometrist. She served 11 of them. She also had a child with Martin in addition to that. After being found guilty of second-degree murder, Alice received a sentence of 17 years in prison, of which she has already served eight.
In addition to Heather, Dzvirko also admitted to participating in the crime and received sentences of 11 and 7 years, respectively. Dzvirko, a former truck driver who now resides in Pembroke Pines, Florida, is devoted to raising his daughter. In 2013, Heather and her two children were residing in Georgia after serving a five-year term.