Hendry County

Mr. Stevens was convicted of the first-degree murder of Tony Beltran, who was beaten and strangled, and first-degree arson of Mr. Beltran’s trailer. Mr. Stevens was sentenced to life in prison for the murder and 30 years in prison for the arson. At trial, he asked to have the jury instructed that it could consider the lesser charge of seconddegree arson of a structure but the judge denied his request. The Second District Court of Appeal upheld that ruling.