TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A man was sentenced to life in prison for a stabbing incident in 2021.
According to the Office of the State Attorney Second Judicial Circuit of Florida, William Votsis pled no contest to attempted first degree murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon offenses Thursday.
Votsis, age 65, was sentenced to life in prison as a prison releasee reoffender for the murder offense and 15 years, which is the minimum mandatory sentence, for the aggravated battery offense.
The state attorney's office noted the plea occurred before the trial was set to begin.
Lorena Vollrath-Bueno prosecuted the case and judge Stephen Everett oversaw the case.
The state attorney’s office said on Nov. 5, 2021 Raymond Myers was found beaten and bloody behind a business on Gaines Street and apparently suffering from hypothermia.
When the victim was transported to a hospital, it was discovered Myers was stabbed multiple times.
The Tallahassee Police Department began its investigation and was able to determine that Votsis was a possible suspect.
Votsis was also identified by a witness interacting with Myers at 3:30 a.m. at the Shell gas station, which is on the corner of Gaines Street.
Myers was a homeless veteran and well known in the area.
The state attorney’s office noted that the police department received an anonymous tip via Crime Stoppers that there was a surveillance camera behind the businesses on Gaines Street.
Captured on the camera was video of the attack by Votsis on Myers on Nov. 5.
Votsis was arrested for trespassing.
Law enforcement was able to collect physical evidence that included blood on Votsis’ shirt and a pocketknife.
The evidence was sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for testing.
The results of the tests found a mixture of DNA belonging to Myers and Votsis on the blade of the knife along with Myers’ blood found on Votsis’ shirt.
Myers died Dec. 2022 at age 62 from exposure to extreme low temperatures.
