Deltona, FL – Two Florida men will face the death penalty for their role in a 2004 home invasion and mass murder that left six people and a dog brutally beaten to death with baseball bats — all over a missing Xbox console. The resentencing brings closure to one of Volusia County’s deadliest crimes.
The Crime: A Brutal Home Invasion Over a Missing Xbox
The massacre took place on August 6, 2004, in a home on Telford Lane in Deltona, where six victims — Jonathan Gleason, 17; Michelle Nathan, 19; Erin Belanger, 22; Roberto Gonzalez, 28; Francisco Ayo Roman, 30; and Anthony Vega, 34 — were bludgeoned to death inside a house where they were staying. Even the family dog was found beaten to death.
Authorities identified Troy Victorino, now 48, and Jerone Hunter, now 39, as the ringleaders of the attack. According to prosecutors, the two men, along with accomplices Robert Cannon and Michael Salas, stormed the house armed with baseball bats after Victorino claimed that the residents had taken his Xbox gaming console and other personal items.
“They were beaten so severely that some of the victims were unrecognizable,” said investigators during the original trial.
All four suspects wore black clothing and scarves over their faces during the attack. Victorino kicked down the front door, and the group then beat the victims to death, inflicting blunt-force trauma and stab wounds.
Investigation and Arrests
Police arrived at the crime scene after neighbors reported loud noises and screams. Deputies from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office discovered the gruesome aftermath inside the home, calling it one of the worst homicide scenes in Florida’s history.
Investigators arrested Victorino and Hunter the next day. Both men were charged with first-degree murder, armed burglary, cruelty to animals, and abuse of a corpse. Hunter initially denied being present at the scene but later confessed to taking part in the killings after police confronted him with evidence.
“Victorino was the ringleader,” prosecutors said during trial. “He was angry about a missing Xbox and other possessions. That anger drove this senseless slaughter.”
Court Proceedings and Resentencing
Victorino and Hunter were originally convicted and sentenced to death in 2006, but the sentences were later overturned in 2018 after Florida’s Supreme Court ruled that death penalty verdicts must be unanimous.
A new jury was selected in April 2023, but the hearing was delayed after Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new law allowing death sentences with only 8 out of 12 jurors voting in favor. The change led to a mistrial and further delays.
After years of appeals and legal complications, a resentencing hearing in May 2024 resulted in the jury again recommending the death penalty. On Monday, Volusia Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols officially imposed the death sentences for both Victorino and Hunter.
“This court follows the jury’s recommendation,” Judge Nichols said. “The punishment shall be death.”
Victorino and Hunter reportedly showed no emotion as the sentence was read, according to courtroom reports from the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
The Other Suspects: Life Sentences for Accomplices
Two additional suspects, Robert Cannon and Michael Salas, were also convicted for their roles in the massacre. Both men received life sentences without the possibility of parole.
Prosecutors said that while Victorino and Hunter initiated the violence, all four men actively participated in the attack, making it a coordinated act of revenge. The group’s use of bats and knives left investigators stunned by the level of brutality.
Community Reaction and Historical Context
The 2004 massacre, often referred to as the “Xbox Murders,” remains one of Florida’s most infamous mass killings. It shocked the Deltona community and became a symbol of senseless violence and youth rage.
“It was the worst crime scene our county has ever seen,” a retired Volusia County detective said. “The sheer brutality of it — over something as trivial as a game console — still haunts us today.”
Families of the victims expressed relief that justice had finally been delivered, though the trauma of the loss remains profound two decades later.
Ongoing Impact and Conclusion
With the resentencing complete, Victorino and Hunter join a small number of Florida inmates facing active death warrants under the state’s recently revised death penalty law. Florida currently has more than 280 inmates on death row, the largest death row population in the U.S. after California.
The case continues to serve as a chilling reminder of how anger and vengeance can spiral into unimaginable violence.
“This was never about justice or fairness,” prosecutors said. “It was about rage — and six innocent lives were lost because of it.”
What are your thoughts on this case and the court’s decision? Share your opinions in the comments below.
