'Horrific': Prosecutors researching death penalty for suspect in Canaveral Groves murders
A Brevard County grand jury has indicted Domenico Gigante on four counts of first-degree premeditated murder after four people were killed in early March inside a Canaveral Groves home.
The indictments qualify Gigante for the death penalty — and prosecutors are "carefully receiving and reviewing available evidence in support of seeking it for each of the victims," State Attorney Phil Archer's office said in a press release.
Now, prosecutors have 45 days from Gigante's grand jury arraignment, which happened Tuesday, to complete their review and file notice seeking the death penalty.
Gigante, 36, of Rockledge was arrested March 1 by Brevard County Sheriff's Office deputies after the shooting deaths inside a home on Alan Shepard Avenue.
More: Four dead in Canaveral Groves shooting; father of teen victim arrested. Here's what we know
More: Brevard state attorney to review past cases involving Canaveral Groves suspect
He pleaded not guilty during a Wednesday court appearance from the Brevard County Jail Complex, and he remains incarcerated without bail. A docket sounding is scheduled for May 26 at the Titusville Historic Courthouse. The grand jury also indicted him on one count of armed burglary.
Gigante faces charges of killing Kiarra Terwilliger, 15; Constance Terwilliger, 35; Glenda Terwilliger, 63; and Michael Watson, 36. Gigante had a previous relationship with Constance Terwilliger, Sheriff Wayne Ivey said in a video posted on Facebook.
Gigante is Kiarra Terwilliger's biological father. Kiarra's mother is Constance, and her grandmother is Glenda. Watson also lived at the home, the State Attorney's Office said in the press release.
"Even though Gigante's prior convictions could not have produced a prison sentence preventing these horrific crimes, I am aware of the great responsibility placed on my office to use every means possible to protect society from predators and seek justice on behalf of victims," Archer said in the press release.
"This includes asking a jury to impose the ultimate punishment of putting a criminal defendant to death to ensure that outcome," Archer said.
Gigante left his Rockledge residence about 1 a.m. March 1 and drove to the victims' residence, where he broke into the house and shot the victims, a Brevard County Sheriff's Office press release said.
On March 6, a Brevard sheriff's agent executed a search warrant and searched historical geolocation data and other customer records from Gigante's cellphone, court records show.
Rick Neale is the South Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @RickNeale1
Support local journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: 'Horrific': Prosecutors study death penalty in Canaveral Groves murders
