The Commission on Capital Cases updates this information regularly.  This information; however, is subject to change and may not reflect the latest status of an inmate’s case and should not be relied upon for statistical or legal purposes. 

 

Guardado, Jesse (W/M)

DC#     324342

DOB: 06/05/1962

 

First Judicial Circuit, Walton County Case # 04-00903

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Kevin Wells

Attorney, Trial: John J Gontarek, Private

Attorney, Direct Appeal: W.C. McClain, Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Clyde M. Taylor, Jr. - Registry

 

Date of Offense: 09/13/2004

Date of Sentence: 10/13/2005

 

Circumstances of Offense:

 

Jesse Guardado met his victim Jackie Malone in 2004, shortly after he had been placed on conditional release for three separate robbery charges in Orange and Seminole Counties.  Malone, a real estate broker-contractor in Walton County, not only rented a house to Guardado but also lent him money occasionally.  She also helped him get a job at the local water treatment plant where he worked at the time of the crime. 

 

On September 13, 2003, Guardado wanted to continue his recent cocaine binge and attempted to rob a local grocery store, but he was thwarted by an alert employee.  He then turned his thoughts toward Malone, who trusted Guardado and lived in a secluded area.  Using his girlfriend’s car for transportation, Guardado collected a metal “breaker bar” and a knife and drove to Malone’s home. 

 

Guardado knocked on Malone’s door and identified himself, asking to use the telephone after she opened her door.  When she turned away, he repeatedly struck her with the “breaker bar” about the head.  After raising her arms in defense, she fell to the floor where Guardado stabbed her several times and finally slashed her throat.  Guardado stated that he thought he would have killed her after the first blow from the “breaker bar”, but “[i]t just seemed not to go that way, she would not die.”  Thus, he continued to hit her with the bar and resorted to stabbing her in the heart so it would be over. 

 

After beating and stabbing her, Guardado looked through Malone’s belongings in her room and took her jewelry box, briefcase, purse and cell phone.  Police caught Guardado after he cashed some of Malone’s checks and used her cell phone.  Guardado confessed and pled guilty to robbery with a deadly weapon and first-degree murder.

An autopsy revealed Malone was alive until the fatal stab wound to her heart.  Moreover, the victim suffered from fractures and wounds consistent with attempts to defend herself from her attacker.   

 

Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:

 

Date of Offense

Offense

Sentence Date

County

Case Number

Prison Sentence Length

06/20/1989

ROBB. GUN/DEADLY WPN

07/06/1990

ORANGE

8905977

20Y 0M 0D

07/03/1989

ROBB. NO GUN/DDLY.WPN

01/23/1991

SEMINOLE

8902454

15Y 0M 0D

07/27/1989

ROBB. GUN/DEADLY WPN

01/23/1991

SEMINOLE

8902496

20Y 0M 0D

08/14/2004

TRAFFIC IN STOLEN PROPERTY

02/17/2005

WALTON

0400873

30Y 0M 0D

09/20/2004

FELON W/GUN/CONC.WPN/AMMO.

02/17/2005

WALTON

0400901

40Y 0M 0D

09/19/2004

FELON W/GUN/CONC.WPN/AMMO.

02/17/2005

WALTON

0400902

40Y 0M 0D

09/13/2004

ROBB. GUN/DEADLY WPN(ATTEMPTED)

02/17/2005

WALTON

0400920

40Y 0M 0D

09/13/2004

1ST DG MUR/PREMED. OR ATT.

10/13/2005

WALTON

0400903

DEATH SENTENCE

09/13/2004

ROBB. WPN-NOT DEADLY

10/13/2005

WALTON

0400903

30Y 0M 0D

 

Trial Summary:

 

09/13/04          Indicted as follows:

                                    Count I:            Murder in the first degree

                                    Count II:           Robbery with a deadly weapon

09/15/05          Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment

09/15/05          Jury recommended death by a vote of 12-0

10/13/05          Sentenced as follows:

                                    Count I:            Murder - Death

                                    Count II:           Robbery with a deadly weapon – 30 years

 

Appeal Summary:

 

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 05-2035

965 So.2d 108

 

11/19/05          Appeal filed

06/28/07          FSC affirmed convictions and sentence

09/26/07          Mandate issued

 

United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC #07-8094

128. U.S. 1250

 

01/22/08          Petition filed

02/19/08          Petition denied

 

Circuit Court – 3.851 Motion

CC #04-000903

(Pending)

 

10/13/08          Motion filed

06/01/10          Motion amended 

 

Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition of Sentence:

 

The process appears to have taken place within a reasonable time table.

 

Case Information:

 

Jesse Guardado was indicted on Robbery with a deadly weapon and Murder charges on 09/13/04, and found guilty of those charges on 09/15/05.  He was sentenced to 30 years for the robbery charges and the death penalty for the murder charges on 10/13/05. 

 

On 11/19/05, Guardado filed a direct appeal to the Florida Supreme Court.  Issued raised in this appeal included whether Guardado’s request to represent himself at the Spencer hearing was inappropriately denied, whether the HAC and CCP aggravators were sufficiently established, as well as a Ring Issue. This appeal was denied on 06/28/07, and a mandate was issued on 09/26/07.

 

On 01/22/08, Guardado filed a petition for writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court. The petition was denied on 02/19/08.

 

On 10/13/08, Guardado filed a 3.851 Motion with the state circuit court and, on 06/01/10, an amended motion was filed. This motion is pending.

 ________________________________________________________________________

 

Report Date:   10/08/07          MCL

Approved:       10/09/07          RM

Updated:         07/20/10          KKR