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

DEPARVINE, WILLIAM (W/M)

DC#    256512           

DOB: 04/21/52

Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Hillsborough County Case#04-00774

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable J. Rogers Padgett

Attorney, Trial: John J. Skye – Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Direct Appeal: Steven L. Bolotin – AssistantPublic Defender

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Robert T. Strain – CCRC-M

Date of Offense:         11/25/03

Date of Sentence:       01/09/06

Circumstances of Offense:

The bodies of Richard and Karla Van Dusen were found on adirt road in Hillsborough County on the morning of November 26, 2003. They bothdied of gunshot wounds to the head. Karla was also stabbed twice in the chest.The couple’s Jeep Cherokee was discovered in a parking lot approximately onemile away. DNA tests confirmed that the blood found on the vehicle’s steeringwheel matched that of William Deparvine.

In November of 2003, Richard Van Dusen began advertising his1971 Chevrolet Cheyenne pickup truck for sale for $13,700. On November 25, 2003Richard received a call on one of his cell phones at 5:45 p.m. near downtownSt. Petersburg, where Deparvine resided. He then made two calls on his phone at5:50 and 5:55 p.m. from downtown St. Petersburg.

Karla Van Dusen’s cell phone indicated that she began a callat 5:33 p.m. near Tierra Verde, and her next two calls used cell towers indowntown St. Petersburg. Karla’s last phone call also used a cell tower inOldsmar. One of her phone calls during this time was to her mother, BillieFerris. Ms. Ferris testified that, while speaking with her daughter, she hearda car engine and asked Karla if she was in a car. Karla responded that she was“following Rick and the guy that bought the truck. He knows where to get thepaperwork done.” Karla informed her mother that the purchaser was going to paywith cash.

Chris Coviello, testified that he saw the Van Dusens leavetheir home on November 25, 2003 at approximately 5:45 p.m. Richard was drivingthe truck and Karla was following in the Jeep Cherokee. There were no otherpassengers in either vehicle.

The Chevrolet Cheyenne truck was found on November 27, 2003.It was parked outside of Deparvine’s apartment complex. Deparvine had in hispossession a signed bill of sale indicating a purchase price of $6,500. Deparvinetestified that he obtained the money to buy the truck by selling a Rolex watchthat a terminally ill inmate gave to him while he was incarcerated. He saidthat he sold the watch for $7,000 in cash and stored the cash in his apartment.He said that the Van Dusens dropped off the truck at his apartment atapproximately 5:30 p.m. on November 25, 2003. He said that another man in a redtruck followed the Van Dusens and then gave Richard Van Dusen a ride afterward.

Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:

Trial Summary:

01/28/04         Indicted as follows:

                                   Count I:          First-Degree Murder

                                   Count II:         First-Degree Murder

                                   Count III:        Kidnapping

                                   Count IV:        Kidnapping

                                   Count V:         Carjacking

08/03/05         The defendant was acquitted of the two kidnapping charges, and the juryreturned

guilty verdicts onall other counts of the indictment

10/03/05         Jury recommended death by a vote of 8-4

01/09/06         Sentenced as follows:

                                   Count I:          First-Degree Murder – Death

                                   Count II:         First-Degree Murder –Death

                                   Count III:        Kidnapping – Acquittal

                                   Count IV:        Kidnapping – Acquittal

                                   Count V:         Carjacking – Life

Appeal Summary:

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC#06-155

995 So. 2d 351 

01/23/06         Appeal filed.

09/29/08         Appeal denied.

12/04/08         Mandate issued. 

Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 04-774

02/05/10          Motion filed

Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition ofSentence:

There have been no major delays in the case at this time.

Case Information:

On 01/23/06, Deparvine filed a direct appeal in the FloridaSupreme Court, raising the following issues: hearsay testimony, failure toprove premeditation or felony murder, jury instructions, insufficient evidenceof carjacking, victim impact evidence, juror selection, unconstitutionality ofFlorida’s capital sentencing, and lack of specification of mitigatingfactors. On 09/29/08, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’sconviction and sentence of death.

On 02/05/10, Deparvine filed a 3.850 Motion in the CircuitCourt, which is pending.

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Report Date:   10/20/08          KLH

Approved:       10/21/08          KLH

Updated:         03/18/10          KKR