William Sweet
William Sweet was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of 13-year-old Felicia Bryant.
In June 1990, Marcine Cofer was robbed and physically accosted in her apartment by three men. Cofer was able to identify two of her attackers by name and on June 26, 1990, she was taken to the police station to try to identify the third assailant through photographs. That evening Detective Robinson dropped Cofer off back at her apartment.
William Sweet was watching from afar as Cofer left the detective.
That same evening, Cofer asked her neighbor, Mattie Bryant, if Bryant’s two daughters, Felicia and Sharon Bryant, could stay with her in her apartment. Mattie agreed and the girls went over to Cofer’s place around 8:00 p.m.
At 1:00 a.m., Sharon reported hearing a loud kick on the apartment door. She woke Cofer and informed her of the noise. After checking the premises, Cofer told Sharon not to worry as it appeared that whoever had been there had left. Cofer then went back to bed. Sharon then saw someone pulling on the screen in the living room and again alerted Cofer. Cofer then looked out the peephole of her front door and noticed Sweet standing outside the apartment.
Cofer told Felicia to bang on the wall of the bathroom, alerting her mother, Mattie Bryant, who was next door. Mattie rushed over a few minutes later. The four women lined up behind the door, with Cofer in the back of the line. As they attempted to leave, William Sweet forced his way inside the apartment, trying to cover his face with a pair of pants.
Sweet opened fire on Cofer, and then proceeded to shoot the other three women. Six shots were fired. Cofer was shot twice, as was Felicia. Felicia died as a result of the gunshot wounds to her abdomen and hand.
William Sweet was arrested on June 28, 1990.
Source: Florida Commission on Capital Cases
In June 1990, Marcine Cofer was robbed and physically accosted in her apartment by three men. Cofer was able to identify two of her attackers by name and on June 26, 1990, she was taken to the police station to try to identify the third assailant through photographs. That evening Detective Robinson dropped Cofer off back at her apartment.
William Sweet was watching from afar as Cofer left the detective.
That same evening, Cofer asked her neighbor, Mattie Bryant, if Bryant’s two daughters, Felicia and Sharon Bryant, could stay with her in her apartment. Mattie agreed and the girls went over to Cofer’s place around 8:00 p.m.
At 1:00 a.m., Sharon reported hearing a loud kick on the apartment door. She woke Cofer and informed her of the noise. After checking the premises, Cofer told Sharon not to worry as it appeared that whoever had been there had left. Cofer then went back to bed. Sharon then saw someone pulling on the screen in the living room and again alerted Cofer. Cofer then looked out the peephole of her front door and noticed Sweet standing outside the apartment.
Cofer told Felicia to bang on the wall of the bathroom, alerting her mother, Mattie Bryant, who was next door. Mattie rushed over a few minutes later. The four women lined up behind the door, with Cofer in the back of the line. As they attempted to leave, William Sweet forced his way inside the apartment, trying to cover his face with a pair of pants.
Sweet opened fire on Cofer, and then proceeded to shoot the other three women. Six shots were fired. Cofer was shot twice, as was Felicia. Felicia died as a result of the gunshot wounds to her abdomen and hand.
William Sweet was arrested on June 28, 1990.
Source: Florida Commission on Capital Cases
