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Man convicted in DeLand murder plotted with victim's stepdaughter for insurance payout
A man was convicted and sentenced to life in prison June 26 for his part in a plot with his girlfriend to kill her stepfather in DeLand and cash in on his insurance money.
Perry Stanley Sr., 48, of Apopka, was found guilty as charged of first-degree murder. He was also convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Circuit Judge Elizabeth Blackburn sentenced Stanley to the mandatory life in prison without parole.
Stanley shot Terrance Gibson, 59, of DeLand on Jan. 31, 2019, in an open lot on West Euclid Avenue.
Stanley and Gibson's stepdaughter, Myesha Williams, 36, had increased Gibson's accidental death insurance policy from $25,000 to $750,000 16 days before his murder, according to State Attorney's Office Public Information Officer Haley Harrison. They expected to receive $150,000 from the policy, she wrote.
Stanley pretended to be Gibson during a phone call to confirm the change to the insurance agent.
Detectives recovered a cellphone used by Stanley near the scene of the murder. Detectives learned that Stanley called Williams seven minutes before the murder.
"We do not give up our fight to make justice a reality for the citizens of the 7th Circuit. This case demonstrates our resolve," State Attorney R.J. Larizza stated in the press release.
DeLand Police investigated the case with help from the Volusia Sheriff's Office. Assistant State Attorneys Helen Schwartz and Annamarie Danylo prosecuted the case.
Williams pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree murder with a firearm as part of a plea agreement that calls for her to face between 25 to 50 years in prison with credit for time served. She agreed to testify about the plot and cooperate with law enforcement.
Williams had been indicted on a charge of first-degree murder which carries a sentence of mandatory life in prison.
Williams is awaiting sentencing.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Man guilty in DeLand murder arranged by victim's stepdaughter
