FORT MYERS, Fla. A 19-year-old man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Thursday morning in connection to the death of a Buckingham man, the 20th Judicial Circuit said.
Jonathan Raymond Ruffini, of Fort Myers, is one of the three suspects accused of killing Ted Lee, 58, of Buckingham, whose body was found outside a Manatee County church on State Road 70 in Lakewood Ranch in July 2016.
Ruffini also pleaded guilty to fraudulent use of a credit card, grand theft of a motor vehicle, and conspiracy to commit murder.
Hunter Michael Tyson, 24 of North Fort Myers, pleaded no contest to second-degree murder last month and was sentenced to 40 years in prison, the state attorney’s office said.
Lavaya May, 17, of Fort Myers, is accused of convincing the co-defendants to kill Lee because he sexually abused her, according to a warrant. May faces charges of second-degree murder.
Ruffini faces a sentence of 25 years in state prison, contingent upon his continued cooperation with the state in related cases, the state attorney’s office said. A hearing will take place at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 5 to set a date for his formal sentencing hearing.
Jonathan Ruffini pleads guilty to 2nd-deg murder, fraudulent use of credit card, grand theft motor vehicle, and conspiracy to commit murder.
— 20th Circuit Florida (@SWFLCourts) July 6, 2017