Yesterday (Feb 7), Circuit Judge Lisa Davidson sentenced Lawrence Tyrone JONES (52), to twenty five (25) years in state prison after a Brevard Jury convicted him September 24, 2021, on one (1) count of Attempted First-Degree Premeditated Murder (F1) in the brutal knife attack on his former girlfriend Rosheema Rucker (42). Judge Davidson also ordered two (2) years of Community Control, followed by three (3) years of supervised probation to be served after JONES release from the Department of Corrections. JONES was credited with 1619 days for time served.

 

On September 2, 2017, at 11:40 pm, Palm Bay Police responded to the Bottlebrush Apartments where a 9-11 caller said a male was attacking a female in the parking lot. Upon arrival the male had fled, however officers found Rucker dragged from the parking lot, to an area behind a building, critically injured. Rucker had sustained stab wounds to her arms, hands, face, neck, shoulder, and stomach, requiring multiple surgeries and months of rehabilitation, but miraculously survived. Officers described her injuries as horrific and some of the worst they had ever seen.

 

Palm Bay Police reported that JONES had a prior failed relationship with Rucker and had traveled from south Florida to meet her in the parking lot of her job. Rucker agreed to give JONES a ride, but fearing for her safety, remained on the phone with a co-worker. Upon reaching the Bottlebrush apartments, JONES became angry, and the co-worker heard Rucker screaming for help before the call went dead.

 

In a statement after last year's trial verdict ASA Mark Campbell said “I’ll never forget how Rosheema [Rucker] described JONES during the attack. She said it was like looking into the eyes of the devil himself.” He added “That’s a nightmare she now lives with every day. It’s time for JONES to answer for that, and thanks to the hard work of the jury, he will.”

Todd Brown

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Viera, Fl. 32940