DC#  124517
DOB: 06/05/42

Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Dade County, Case #92-39548
Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Maxine Cohen-Lando 
Attorneys, Criminal Trial: Louis Jepeway, Esq. & Eugene Zenobi, Esq.   
Attorney, Direct Appeal: Louis Campbell – Assistant Public Defender 
Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Israel Encinosa, Esq. – Registry

Date of Offense: 11/19/92

Date of Sentence: 06/19/98

Circumstances of Offense:

During 1970’s, Seburt Connor was involved in an extramarital relationship with Margaret Bennett.  When she discovered that Connor was married, she ended their relationship. 

Margaret later married Lawrence Goodine and had two daughters by him, Karen and Jessica.  When Margaret and Lawrence separated in the late 1980’s, she renewed her relationship with Connor, and he became a father figure to her two girls.

In 1992, Margaret told Connor that she did not want to see him anymore.  Connor continued to harass Margaret for several months after that.  He reportedly drove by her house shooting a gun and one of Margaret’s neighbors reported receiving a menacing phone call from a man she believed to be Connor. 

The caller threatened to kill Margaret and her daughter Karen.  Margaret’s home had also been burglarized several times, with the burglar stealing bed sheets, towels and linens.

On 07/28/92, Margaret got an ex parte domestic violence injunction against Connor and a permanent injunction was issued on 08/19/92.

Connor reportedly told one of Margaret’s neighbors that he would stop harassing her if she would get back together with her husband, Lawrence Goodine.  As such, Margaret asked Lawrence to move in with her in September 1992.  The harassment, however, did not stop. Connor bought a black Cadillac that was identical to the one driven by Margaret Bennett and was seen numerous times driving slowly through their neighborhood.

On 11/19/92, Margaret and her daughters left for work and school, respectively, while Lawrence remained at home.  He was last seen at home at approximately 2:30 p.m.  Ten year-old Jessica returned home from school that afternoon and immediately went across the street to play with a friend. 

When Jessica noticed a black Cadillac in her driveway, she went home.  Shortly after, Jessica returned to her friend’s house and told her she was leaving.  Her friend saw her leave in the black Cadillac with a man who she assumed was Jessica’s father, Lawrence Goodine.

When Karen Goodine returned home that afternoon, neither Lawrence nor Jessica were there, and it appeared that someone had been in the house, so she alerted her mother.  Margaret then called the police and noted that she thought Connor had something to do with the disappearances.  Detectives went to the Connor residence in the early morning hours of 11/20/92.  Connor told detectives that he had not seen Lawrence or Jessica that day.

In the late afternoon of 11/20/92, the body of Lawrence Goodine was found in a wooded area near the Ft. Lauderdale airport.  He had suffered five severe blows to the head, each of which could have rendered him unconscious and could have been fatal. 

When detectives went to the Goodine residence to report the discovery of his body, they noticed blood on the carpet and a broken chair.  Detectives hypothesized that Lawrence was bludgeoned to death with the leg of the chair.

Detectives returned to Connor’s residence on 11/21/92 to question him further.  Connor voluntarily agreed to go to the police station.  Detective Tymes asked Connor if she could search his Cadillac and the cottage behind his home and he agreed, giving written consent.  Detective Tymes noticed bloodstains in the back and trunk of the Cadillac, but nothing appeared suspicious in the cottage.

Although he was not under arrest, Connor was advised of his Miranda rights, which he waived.  During questioning, detectives noticed blood on Connor’s socks and shoes.  Detective Tymes asked Connor if she could take his socks and shoes, Connor agreed and signed a consent form. 

DNA tests revealed that the blood on his socks and shoes was that of Lawrence Goodine.  Detectives then asked if they could search Connor’s house and the cottage behind it.  Connor agreed and signed another consent form.

A subsequent search of the Connor’s cottage uncovered the body of Jessica Goodine, wrapped in a comforter and wedged between the bed and the wall.  The cause of death was determined to be manual strangulation and the time of death was estimated at some time late on 11/20/92. 

The police obtained a search warrant to impound Connor’s Cadillac for a more extensive examination.  The blood found in the car was determined to belong to Lawrence Goodine.

Trial Summary: