Will his fate be life in prison or death row? Trial resumes after Loyd found guilty of murder
The jury who found Markeith Loyd guilty of fatally shooting his pregnant ex-girlfriend Sade Dixon and her unborn child will return to the Orange County Courthouse today to decide whether he should get life in prison or be sentenced to die.
The trial’s penalty phase will begin with opening statements this morning, followed by testimony. The only two possible sentences are death or life in prison without parole, and Loyd can only be sent to death row if the 12-member jury recommends it unanimously.
Loyd, 44, was convicted last week of first-degree murder in Dixon’s 2016 killing, as well as of attempting to murder three of her family members.
Prosecutors are also seeking the death penalty for Loyd in the killing of Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton, who police say was fatally shot by Loyd after she tried to arrest him Jan. 9, 2017, at a Walmart on Princeton Street. Loyd’s trial in Clayton’s slaying is scheduled for next year.
Last week, Loyd testified he never meant to shoot Dixon eight times and argued he gunned her down in self-defense after her brother attacked
him.
“I wanted my child,” Loyd told jurors. “I never meant to kill my queen.”
Loyd said he and Dixon had been fighting because she lied to him about smoking weed while pregnant and eating meat, and had each accused the other of being unfaithful. Loyd testified Dixon texted him “don’t expect no baby” after they broke up, which Loyd interpreted to mean she was getting an abortion.
The convicted killer said he went to Dixon’s house the night of Dec. 13, 2016, to convince her not to terminate the pregnancy.
Loyd said his ex-girlfriend pulled a gun on him, which he took away and stored with his two guns before her brother Ronald Stewart came outside to check on them. Prosecutors said, after an argument, Loyd shot Dixon and Stewart as they were walking back into their house after telling him to go away.
“All of this could have been avoided if the defendant just left like he was told,” Assistant State Attorney Rich Buxman told jurors during closing arguments. “Instead, the defendant was going to finish what he started.”
Defense attorneys argued Stewart attacked Loyd, leading to a tussle that ended with a gun going off and hitting Stewart. Loyd said he thought Dixon had picked up a gun he dropped in the fight and he went into “warrior mode,” shooting at her and family members who rushed outside to help.
But Stewart, who survived the shooting, testified he never attacked Loyd.
Loyd’s trial is being handled by prosecutors with the office of Ocala-based State Attorney Brad King. Former Gov. Rick Scott reassigned Loyd’s case and dozens of other capital cases to King’s office after Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala said in 2017 she would not consider the death penalty.