Collier judge denies to reverse death sentence for Naples man who killed wife, 5 kids

A man who murdered his wife and five children 14 years ago was denied a motion that sought to modify his death sentence.

Mesac Damas, 47, has had his motion for post-conviction relief, denied Friday in its entirety, court records show.

Collier Circuit Judge Ramiro Manalich denied Damas' motion in a 28-page written order.

Damas sought to vacate the judgements of conviction and sentence against him, for the 2009murders of Guerline Dieu, 32, and their five young children, Meshach, 9; Maven, 6; Marven, 5; Megan, 3; and Morgan, 19 months.

He used a filet knife to kill each of them, slitting their throats, after breaking into the family's Naples home.

State Attorney Amira Fox, Chief Assistant State Attorney Richard Montecalvo and former Assistant State Attorney Dave Scuderi prosecuted the first-degree murder case, which resulted in the 2017 conviction of Damas. He received six death penalty sentences.

The motion claimed ineffective counsel. A three-day evidentiary hearing was held in November 2022.

"This remains one of the most heinous and atrocious crimes in our area's history. What was done at the hands of Mesac Damas, was pure evil," State Attorney Amira Fox wrote in a statement Monday. "The six death penalties he received at sentencing, one for each victim, was the right sentence for these wicked and indescribable acts. This denial of postconviction relief keeps Damas on death row, awaiting his sentence of death."

In June, he requested a new trial.

Damas had also previously requested the release of his medical and psychiatric records. That request was denied Jan. 23.

In requesting the new trial, he hopes to emphasize his medical and psychiatric records.

Damas, between Sept. 17, 2009, and the following day, killed Dieu Damas and their five children.

In recent months, Damas has asked the court to release records related to his case.

In a Dec. 15, 2022, motion, Damas asked the Florida Department of Corrections to release his May 2022 medical and psychiatric records.

The motion, in response to a Dec. 12, 2022, subpoena where the state sought the release of Damas' records, alleges they're relevant to a pending proceeding; lead to the discovery of admissible evidence; haven't been previously obtained in discovery; and aren't available in the state's archives.

The state has alleged that Damas' health complications arose from his refusal to eat or drink while he was at the Collier County Jail. Damas said he refused to eat or drink as he believed they were "poisoned," records indicate.

The defense has argued that a disruption to his medication during his incarceration in Collier County caused Damas' anxiety.

The defense has further claimed that traveling for certain prior hearings would disrupt his daily medication schedule and dosage. He's incarcerated at Union Correctional Institution in Railford, a little more than 300 miles from Southwest Florida.

Records indicate he's also receiving treatment for diabetes.

Damas is one of three Collier County inmates on death row.

Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Mesac Damas' motion seeking to modify his death sentence denied