Lee Rodarte Confessed To The Murder Of A 21-year-old Girl (Latest 2024)

Lee Rodarte, the person charged with killing the 21-12 months-old in 2017, was convicted to forty years in jail on March 11, 2021. this murder case is very similar to Skylar Neese murder case. 

The long journey to justice has subsequently come to a cease for the own family of 21-12 months-antique Savannah Gold.

In keeping with motion news Jax reviews, Lee Rodarte Jr., 31, acquired his sentence on March eleven, nearly three years after he changed into charged with killing Gold, with whom he labored at a Bonefish Grill in Mandarin. In February, Rodarte reached an association with prosecutors and pleaded responsible to 2d-diploma murder; in exchange, prosecutors proposed a sentence of 40 years with a credit score for time served, and the decision agreed.

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Rodarte seemed sure before the 4th Circuit court docket decided Jeb Branham document the plea settlement made with prosecutors.

“You take into account that you are pleading guilty, and you may be adjudicated guilty to rely on one, second-diploma homicide,” said decide Branham. “… Do you remember that to be the sentence that you have agreed to?”

“sure, sir,” responded Rodarte.

Movement information Jax become published in 2019 while Rodarte tried to claim self-protection in 2019. His claim become later denied.

Rodarte changed into additionally charged with evidence tampering and abusing a frame, but those fees have been dropped as part of his plea settlement.

Prosecutors and the defense negotiated a sentence of forty years in prison with a credit score for time served.

Who’s Savannah Gold? How did Lee Rodarte murder her

In Mandarin, Savannah Gold turned into a server at the Bonefish Grill on San Jose side road, wherein Rodarte turned into a supervisor.

In a preceding news release, Rodarte was in an on-once more, off-again relationship with Gold even as operating as a supervisor on the eating place, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s workplace said. Surveillance photos confirmed Gold show up for paintings around 5:30 p.m. on August 2, 2017, but after parking her car, she did no longer go to the eating place; she as a substitute was given into the passenger seat of Rodarte’s parked car, authorities stated.

Less than 15 minutes later, what seemed to be a quick fight ensued interior of the vehicle, and Gold changed into by no means visible coming out from the auto. As a substitute, Rodarte got out and went to Gold’s automobile, opening the driving force’s aspect door and reaching the interior before going back to his automobile and using away.

Whilst police observed Gold’s automobile, one of the tires was slashed; within the unlocked automobile had been her purse and other assets, as of news 4 Jax reviews. Her family then commenced to get hold of text messages from her cellphone, wherein Gold apparently introduced that she’d met someone and turned into strolling away with that man or woman. But, due to the spelling and how the messages had been worded, her family and buddies did not be given that Gold become the man or woman behind the texts, in line with the opening.

One textual content, acquired by way of Gold’s brother, examines, “hey stop I’m leaving with my boyfriend I can’t do that anymore I’m exceptional just want to break out,” The Florida instances-Union reviews.

At some point in the search for Gold, Rodarte joined her friends and family in handing out missing character flyers and even advised them that he turned worried, her family told News 4 Jax.

Gold was lacking for three days before Rodarte was admitted, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s workplace stated. In step with the government, he admitted to killing Gold after removing her body in a neighborhood lake; members of the JSO Dive group needed to be referred to as in to retrieve her remains.

While Gold’s frame turned into determined, officials could not find out the purpose of their demise, but it became clear that she had been burned and that her demise had been a “violent homicide,” in keeping with a news 4 Jax file. At some point of the trial, Rodarte claimed that he became looking to defend himself from Gold when he grabbed her neck and heard a “pop,” however prosecutors argued towards that declaration.

A gold circle of relatives presents at some stage in the intending

Gold’s dad and mom have been looking at the proceedings on March 11, including the prosecutor’s recounting of the info of the case.

Calling 21-yr-antique Savannah Gold “my candy infant, my heart,” her mom read her victim’s effect letter at March eleven’s sentencing hearing for Lee Rodarte Jr.

Rodarte, her 32-yr-antique co-employee with whom she has been in a relationship, sat head down a maximum of the time in Duval County Circuit court docket choosing Jeb Branham’s court.

“She had a complete lifestyle beforehand of her, full of opportunity, and he or she did no longer get to experience the most beautiful elements,” Sharon Gold stated. “… Savannah become an absolute shining mild in our lives.“

Sporting a butterfly on his lapel in honor of his daughter, as did his spouse, Daniel Gold stated this crime has brought on him to impeach every choice he made due to the fact of shifting his circle of relatives to Florida.

“If Savannah never had a threat to fulfill Lee Rodarte, might she nevertheless be alive,” her father said. “… Why wasn’t I striving to educate her self-defense? Why didn’t I try to train her to apply and convey a gun?“

“As I watched the video of Savannah struggling for her life, Lee’s vehicle violently shaking backward and forward, I saw her lion coronary heart and sparkling colorations for the closing time,” Daniel Gold said in the courtroom.

Nowadays, justice arrived for Gold’s family.

“To our family, prolonged circle of relatives and network, our hearts have begun to heal because of your love and aid,” stated Dan Gold after the sentencing hearing. “We love Savannah, and we in no way realized how a lot of you did additionally.”  Following March eleven’s sentencing, Gold’s family thanked the network for his or her assistance, action news Jax reports.