ORLANDO, Fla. — The State Attorney’s Office will not seek the death penalty for murder suspect Markeith Loyd numerous sources told Channel 9 Wednesday night.
Orlando Police Chief John Mina said he was "extremely upset" about the decision.
"I have seen the video of Markeith Loyd executing Lt. Debra Clayton while she lay defenseless on the ground," Mina said in a statement. "She was given no chance to live. A cop killer -- who also killed his pregnant girlfriend -- should not be given that chance."
Loyd is accused of killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend Sade Dixon in December and Orlando Police Lt. Debra Clayton in January.
Instead, prosecutors will seek life in prison without the possibility of parole, Dixon's family said.
Word from Dixon’s family came on the heels of an announcement by the Orlando Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 25 that multiple sources had told officials Ayala will not seek the death penalty against Loyd.
“If this information is correct, this would be an epic injustice to the family of Lt. Debra Clayton, as well as every single law enforcement officer in the 9th Judicial Circuit,” the FOP President Shawn Dunlap said in a statement. "The death penalty is the law of the land in the state of Florida and I believe that if there ever was a case for its use, this would be the one."
When asked for comment about the Dixon family's claim, Clayton's sister told Channel 9 by phone that she had not been told about any decision to take the death penalty off the table for Loyd.
OPD @ChiefJohnMina statement on @FLGovScott actions this afternoon: pic.twitter.com/c7stxO18VV
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) March 16, 2017
WFTV legal analyst Belvin Perry was nonplussed at the reported decision.
"It's mind boggling," he said. "It defies logic. It defies all legal reasoning why (Ayala) would not seek the death penalty."
Dunlap said in his statement that the Orlando FOP had received information that the State Attorney's Office would be making a formal announcement about the Loyd death penalty decision Thursday.
"The heinous crimes that (Loyd) committed in our community are they very reason we have the death penalty as an option under the law," Mina's statement said.
Multiple requests for comment from the State Attorney's Office were not immediately returned.
Here is a statement from @ChiefJohnMina about the State Attorney's decision regarding Markeith Loyd: pic.twitter.com/qlvFR84Kua
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) March 16, 2017
BREAKING New state attorney WILL NOT seek deathpenalty against accused cop killer Markeith Loyd 10/11 TEAM coverage Judge Perry weighs in
— Martha Sugalski (@MarthaSugalski) March 16, 2017
Orlando police union: "this is an epic injustice." #markeithloyd
— Shannon Butler (@SButlerWFTV) March 16, 2017
#BREAKING: The parents of Sade Dixon, the ex Markeith Loyd is accused of killing, said prosecutors will seek life without parole. #WFTV
— Cuthbert Langley (@CLangleyWFTV) March 16, 2017
I also just spoke with the sister of Lt. Debra Clayton, who was not told of the decision not to seek death penalty for Markeith Loyd. #WFTV
— Cuthbert Langley (@CLangleyWFTV) March 16, 2017
Lt. Clayton's sister did not have any reaction to the news. #WFTV
— Cuthbert Langley (@CLangleyWFTV) March 16, 2017
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