DC#  729185
DOB:  03/29/67

Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, Bay County Case # 89-0495
Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Don T. Sirmons
Attorney, Trial: Robert T. Adams, Jr. – Assistant Public Defender  
Attorney, Direct Appeal:  W.C. McLain – Assistant Public Defender  
Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Linda McDermott – Registry

Date of Offense: 02/01/89

Date of Sentence: 03/26/90

Date of Resentence: 04/13/93

Circumstances of Offense:

On 02/01/89, the eight-year-old son of Tressa and Kevin Pettibone found his mother beaten and stabbed to death on the kitchen floor. 

Tressa Pettibone had two stab wounds on the right side of her neck and one fatal stab wound on the left side.  These stab wounds were consistent with a knife found in the kitchen sink. 

The medical examiner also found a number of bruises and abrasions on the head, face, chest, and abdomen of the victim that were caused by some form of blunt trauma. 

According to the medical examiner, the victim’s wrists had been bound with a plastic tie for at least twenty minutes prior to her death.  A number of items were missing from the home, including the victim’s car.

Geralds was a carpenter who had helped remodel the Pettibone’s home prior to the murder. 

Circumstantial evidence connected Geralds to the crime:  Geralds knew that Kevin Pettibone was out of town at the time of the crime and Geralds separately asked Tressa Pettibone and the children when Mr. Pettibone would be returning; Geralds pawned jewelry from the Pettibone home that had traces of blood that were consistent with Tressa Pettibone’s blood type, but inconsistent with Geralds’ blood type; Geralds gave the victim’s sunglasses to a friend; Geralds’ shoes were consistent with the shoes used to make tracks on the floor of the Pettibone’s home; and plastic ties used to bind the victim matched ties found in Geralds’ car.

Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:

Geralds had an extensive criminal record at the time of the offense.  The following is Geralds’ current and prior prison history, covering periods of incarceration with the Florida Department of Corrections since January 1983. 
 

04/13/93           Resentenced to death.

Case Information:

Geralds filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 04/30/90, citing multiple issues at both the guilt phase and penalty phase of trial: improper denial of two defense challenges for cause, error in denying defendant’s motion for a change of venue, error in denying defense counsel access to field notes used to refresh a state witness’ memory, and improper references to the defendant’s prior criminal record. 

On 04/30/92, the FSC affirmed the conviction, but vacated Gerald’s death sentence.

On 03/26/93, a new jury recommended the death sentence by a vote of 12-0, and on 04/13/93, Geralds was resentenced to death.

Geralds filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 07/24/96 that was denied on 10/07/96.

Geralds filed a 3.850 Motion with the Circuit Court on 09/22/97 and amended the Motion on 08/31/01 and 01/28/02.  On 01/18/06, the Circuit Court denied the motion.

Geralds filed a 3.850 Motion Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 04/24/06 that is pending.

Floridacapitalcases.state.fl.us