UPDATE July 7, 5:45 p.m.:
On Monday, Ryan Cole was sentenced to death for the 2019 murder of 15-year-old Khyler Edman in Port Charlotte.
The 33-year-old showed no reaction as Judge Lisa Porter formally delivered the sentence.
Watch Fox 4's Alex Orenczuk report on Ryan Cole's sentencing:
In May, Cole was found guilty of breaking into a Port Charlotte home in 2019, where 15-year-old Khyler was babysitting his 5-year-old sister.
Investigators say Khyler confronted Cole to protect his sister and was stabbed to death; his sister was unharmed.
A jury recommended Cole be sentenced to death in a 10-2 vote.
"There's a special place in hell for individuals like this, said Sheriff Bill Prummell after the sentencing. "He's getting what he deserves."
Cole was also sentenced to life in prison for burglary with assault or battery, and five years for an additional burglary charge.
"Cases like this are why we have the death penalty in Florida," said Rich Montecalvo, Chief Assistant State Attorney. "There are few words to describe how horrific the crime was. No one should ever have to be a victim of a crime, but to be a young boy in the safety of his own home, he should never have been forced to know that kind of fear."
Montecalvo, and Sheriff Prummell added that they hope the sentence will help Khyler's family get closure, and heal.
"From today forward let us not speak of this defendant by name anymore — let's instead remember the victim and his family," Montecalvo said.
Cole will now be moved to death row in a prison in northern Florida. By law, he will receive an automatic appeal before the Florida Supreme Court.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
UPDATE July 7, 1:34 p.m.:
Judge Lisa Porter has sentenced Ryan Cole to death.
Cole was convicted of killing 15-year-old Khyler Edman back in 2019.
"There's a special place in hell for individuals like this — he's getting what he deserves," Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell said after the sentencing.
This is a developing story. Charlotte County Community Correspondent Alex Orenczuk will have a full story on Fox 4 News at 5.
ORIGINAL STORY:
The man convicted of killing a 15-year-old Port Charlotte teenager will have to wait until next month to learn if he will be put to death or spend the rest of his life in prison.
The sentencing for Ryan Cole was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, but both the state and the defense need to file more paperwork — what's called a sentencing memorandum. It means both sides will make a final argument on paper as to why the judge should sentence him to death or spare his life.
Throughout much of the trial and sentencing hearing, Cole sat with no emotion on his face. Tuesday was more of the same.
On May 15, a jury recommended the death penalty after they previously found Cole guilty of the deadly 2019 stabbing of Khyler Edman. Deputies say Edman was protecting his 5-year-old sister when he was killed.
It's a brutal killing Edman's family is still grappling with more than five years later.
"He was murdered in his own home, a place that should've been safe," Khyler's aunt said. "Our family is broken, grief is constant, heavy and unrelenting."
She went on to talk about Khyler being kind, intelligent and caring. He enjoyed fishing and Nerf gun fights with family members.
"He had dreams, he wanted to serve in the military when he got older," his aunt said.
The teenager was a Gators fan like his dad and would go to a nursing home on Christmas with his grandmother to give them homemade gifts.
"Khyler mattered. He still matters and we will continue to speak his name and honor his memory forever," she said.
Shackled at his hands and feet, Cole sat next to his attorneys to read a letter. Much of it was directed toward Khyler's family.
"Not a day goes by that I don't wish I can go back and change what I did," Cole said. "I'm truly sorry for the pain that I have caused your family. I am truly sorry."
Cole went on to ask for forgiveness as one of Edman's family members sat in the audience and listened.
"I am responsible, I own that," he said.
During the sentencing hearing, a psychiatrist for the defense said Cole had a mental illness at the time of the arrest.
Dr. Gregory Iannuzzi diagnosed Cole with "other specified schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders."
According to Cole, he said to the doctor during his evaluation that law enforcement was trying to persecute him or target him while in jail.
The doctor also said Cole suffers from delusions and talked about his drug use.
However, prosecutors say the doctor cannot cite drug use in his diagnosis, based on the testing criteria used.
Cole will be back in court on July 2 when the judge will decide if he will go to prison for life or be put to death.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
