PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida man accused of stabbing a married couple to death after following "voices” four years ago was found guilty Tuesday of two counts of first-degree murder, the Sun-Sentinel reported.
A Palm Beach County jury deliberated two hours before delivering a guilty verdict against Zachary Joseph Penna, 28, the newspaper reported. Judge Caroline Cahill Shepherd sentenced Penna to life in prison for the Nov. 19, 2015, killings of Wayne Dixon, 58, and Freddy Sanchez, 49, inside their Greenacres home, according to the Sun-Sentinel.
Jury rejects insanity defense in random killing of couple https://t.co/K6tsVpKFLE pic.twitter.com/DgfQ1vi5r0
— South Florida Sun Sentinel (@SunSentinel) December 17, 2019
Penna’s lawyer argued the defendant was insane and following “voices” when he stabbed the couple to death.
“Zachary Penna believed that he was the reincarnation of the daughter of Ra, as in Ra, the ancient Egyptian sun god," Assistant Public Defender Elizabeth Ramsey argued, WPEC reported.
The jury rejected that defense, the Sun-Sentinel reported.
After killing the two men, detectives said Penna drove to Boynton Beach and knocked over an 86-year-old woman and stole her purse, WPEC reported.
He then traveled north and was arrested in Titusville, allegedly after stabbing a contractor at Space Coast Regional Airport, WFTV reported.
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