Peter Avsenew is a 33-year-old man who was convicted of murdering a gay couple in Wilton Manors, Florida, in 2010. He is currently on death row at Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida, awaiting his execution. But how did he end up there? And what role did his mother play in his capture and conviction? This article will explore the story of Peter Avsenew and his mother, Jeanne Avsenew, who turned him in to the authorities after he confessed to her that he had done something bad.
A Troubled Childhood
According to Jeanne Avsenew, Peter was a troubled child who showed signs of anger and violence from an early age. She said that he was obsessed with knives, got into fights, and threatened to bomb his school. She also claimed that he once came after her with a sword and that she found a shotgun shell in his room with her name on it. Jeanne said that she tried to get him help, but nothing worked. She lost her eldest daughter, Jennifer, in 1995, when she was murdered by an ex-boyfriend. She said that this was around the time that Peter’s problems started to escalate.
A Life of Crime
Peter was in and out of prison for various offenses, including burglary, grand theft, battery, and drug possession. He also worked as an escort and posted suggestive ads on Craigslist. In 2010, he responded to an ad by a gay couple, Stephen Adams and Kevin Powell, who invited him to stay with them at their home in Wilton Manors. Police believe that Peter stayed with them for a few days before he shot them multiple times and bludgeoned them with a hammer. He then stole their credit cards and their SUV and fled the scene.
A Mother’s Dilemma
Peter showed up at his mother’s home in Polk County on Christmas Day in 2010. He told her that he had done something bad and asked for her help in dumping the car. He also brought a gun with him, which he said he had found. Jeanne said that he suggested that what he had done was violent, the worst thing he had ever done, and that if he got caught, he would not be able to get out of trouble. Jeanne checked her computer and saw that Peter was a person of interest in the murder of the gay couple. She decided to call the police and turn him in.
A Trial and a Sentence
Peter was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder, armed robbery, credit card fraud, and grand theft auto. His trial was held in late 2017 after several delays. The prosecution argued that the murders were premeditated and that Peter tried to cover his tracks by cleaning up the crime scene and using the victims’ credit cards. The defense claimed that Peter found the victims dead and wanted to avoid trouble because he was an escort. Jeanne testified against her son at the trial and told the jury about his past behavior and what he told her after the murders. Peter showed no remorse for his actions and even sent a letter to the judge, calling himself a white supremacist and saying that it was his duty to cull the weak and timid from existence.
The jury found him guilty of all charges and sentenced him to death by lethal injection. However, in 2022, the Florida Supreme Court overturned his conviction and sentence on a technicality involving his mother’s testimony. The court ruled that Jeanne’s testimony was recorded on video from another county and that she could not see her son while testifying, which violated his right to confront his accusers. The court ordered a new trial for Peter.
A New Trial and a New Sentence
Peter’s new trial began in July 2022. The evidence against him remained the same, but this time, his mother testified live via video conference from another county. She repeated what she had said before about her son’s troubled childhood, his criminal history, and his confession to her. Peter again showed no emotion or regret for his crimes. He did not testify or present any witnesses in his defense.
The jury again found him guilty of all charges and sentenced him to death by lethal injection for the second time in October 2022. Peter is currently on death row at Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida. He has not filed any appeals as of yet.
A Mother’s Pain
Jeanne Avsenew said that she loved her son but that she had to do what was right by turning him in. She said that she felt sorry for the victims’ families and that she hoped they would find some peace. She also said that she hoped her son would find some peace as well She said that she still visits him occasionally but that their relationship is strained. She said that she does not agree with the death penalty but that she respects the jury’s decision. She said that she does not know how she will feel when her son is executed
Peter Avsenew is still alive, but his fate is sealed. He is one of the most notorious killers in Florida’s history, and his mother is one of the most courageous and conflicted witnesses. Their story is a tragic and complex one, full of pain, guilt, and love.
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