murder Archives - Larry Basford

State Attorney Larry Basford, left, and Prosecutor Peter Overstreet at Friday’s sentencing

For the second time, Johnny Mack “Skeeto” Calhoun was sentenced to death Friday for the brutal murder of Holmes County resident Mia Brown in 2010, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.

As prosecutors, defense attorneys, and members of the victim’s family watched, Chief Circuit Court Judge Christopher Patterson said he had reviewed all materials submitted and the arguments made by both sides. He then ordered Calhoun be put to death by lethal injection.

It is the second time Calhoun has been sentenced to death by Patterson for kidnapping Brown, keeping her in the trunk of his car overnight, and then burning her alive in it the following day. The first was in 2012, but the defendant was given a new sentencing hearing following a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court ruling affecting cases across the state. The jury at the new sentencing recommended death by a 9-3 vote in April.

“Justice in this case has been a long time in coming,” Basford said following sentencing “Now, 5,698 days have passed since Mia Brown was burned alive in her car by the defendant. This was a very cruel and horrific murder.”

Chief Circuit Court Judge Christopher Patterson announces the sentence.

Basford noted that this is the second time a jury as recommended death for Calhoun, the second time Judge Patterson has ordered the death sentence for him, and he has faith the Florida Supreme Court for the second time will affirm the sentence.

“When all is said and done, the defendant will be strapped to a gurney, a needle will be placed in his arm, he will be injected with a lethal dose of chemicals, and he will draw his last breath,” Basford said.

State Attorney Larry Basford, right, and Prosecutor Peter Overstreet, left, speak to members of the victims’ family.

Basford and Prosecutor Peter Overstreet presented nearly 20 witnesses and evidence at the sentencing phase in April proving the victim was kidnapped, bound, gagged, and burned alive in her car in December 2010.

Basford and Overstreet proved the murder met two of the aggravating factors required by law: it was committed during a kidnapping that facilitated the murder, and it was cold, calculated and premeditated.

Basford thanked the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for their work and collaboration on the original case.

In Friday’s 15-page sentencing order, Chief Judge Patterson outlined the facts and history of the case as well as the aggravating and mitigating factors.

“The Defendant is eligible for a sentence of death, and a careful review of the aggravating factors determined to exist beyond a reasonable doubt, which far outweigh the mitigating circumstances, established by a greater weight of the evidence, makes clear that a sentence of death is the only appropriate penalty in the present case,” Patterson wrote.

Basford thanked the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement for their handling of the case. He especially thanked the victim’s family “for their patience and faith.”

For more information or questions contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov or call 850-381-7454.

A Panama City man was found guilty as charged Wednesday of Second-Degree Murder in the July 18, 2023 stabbing death of his boyfriend at a Springfield convenience store, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.

Calvin Lovelle Pittman, 47, of Panama City, was found guilty of Second-Degree Murder and Destruction or Tampering with Physical Evidence after about 45 minutes of deliberation. Circuit Court Judge Shonna Young Gay set sentencing for Sept. 11. The murder charge is a First-Degree Felony punishable by up to Life in prison.

Prosecutor Peter Overstreet called about a dozen witnesses and presented physical evidence in the 2-day trial proving Pittman stabbed Phillip S. Harvey, 20, in the side while the two were arguing in Harvey’s car July 18, 2023. The victim suffered a large, 4-inch-deep gash to his lower left abdomen before exiting the car and stumbling about 20 feet where he collapsed.

A key piece of evidence came from the victim himself. As hospital workers tried to stabilize him for emergency surgery that day, he told two nurses that he was stabbed by Pittman during an argument.

“Mr. Harvey did nothing wrong to deserve this, but as he fought for his life on the way to surgery that day, he did something very right: he was able to identify his attacker by name,” Overstreet said. “He knew his life was in danger and he made very sure that the authorities would know it was Calvin Pittman who did this. He played a large part in bringing his killer to justice.”

“We are grateful the jurors saw this case for what it was, looked at the evidence, and concluded Mr. Harvey was telling the truth.”

Two nurses on duty that day testified the victim identified his attacker. They both also testified he asked them if he was “going to see his mom,” who passed away two years earlier.

One said the victim, suffering from a deep stab wound that went through his spleen and kidney, also asked her if he was going to see his mom as she helped get him ready for surgery.

“He said his boyfriend Calvin Pittman stabbed him during an argument,” she testified. “He told me he knew he was going to see his momma now. They put him under for the surgery and he bled out.”

Prosecutor Morgan Morrell, far left, questions a witness.

Overstreet said the victim’s identification of the killer came with no doubt.

“I submit to you when a man is dying … I don’t think he’s going to somehow fantasize and misrepresent something,” Overstreet said. “He was afraid he was going to die and he wanted his killer caught.”

Surveillance video showed the victim’s car pull up to the gas pumps of a Springfield convenience store the evening of July 18, 2023. Witnesses said there was no disturbance or shouting that drew their attention at first. But 39 seconds after arriving the defendant gets out, and 2 seconds after that the driver gets out clutching his side. He can be seen stumbling away but after 9 seconds collapses.

The passenger, identified as Calvin Pittman, is seen leaving the car and going to the victim, bending over him for a brief period. Seconds after the clerk arrived and began administering first aid, the defendant calmly walked back to the car and 20 seconds later was driving away.

“The defense would have you believe he was rendering aid, he was not,” Overstreet said. “He was essentially covering up what he had done. He didn’t do anything, he didn’t say anything, and when all eyes were on the victim what did Calvin Pittman do? He calmly walked away, shut the passenger’s door … and fled because he did not want to get caught for what he had done.”

Pittman was caught the next day in Panama City by police following “pings” emitted by a T-Mobile device in the vehicle. The defendant had parked it among some other cars hidden by houses and a fence, not visible from the roadway.

Basford thanked the Springfield Police Department, Panama City Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for their work on the investigation.

For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.

Tag: murder

Calhoun Sentenced to Death in 2010 Murder of Mia Brown

JURY: Pittman Stabbed Boyfriend to Death