Opinion ID: 2772305
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: This Court is required to independently review the sufficiency of the evidence in every case for which a sentence of death has been imposed. See Blake v. State, 972 So. 2d 839, 850 (Fla. 2007); see also Fla. R. App. P. 9.142(a)(5). To determine the sufficiency of the evidence, this Court reviews the evidence presented in the light most favorable to the State and determines whether a rational trier of fact could have found the existence of the elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Bradley v. State, 787 So. 2d 732, 738 (Fla. 2001) (citing Banks v. State, 732 So. 2d 1065, 1068 n.5 (Fla. 1999)). Here, the killer began shooting from outside of the victims’ house. He injured Ruiz, then entered the house when she fled in order to complete the killing. - 37 - Although the record contains no evidence with respect to motive, the record reflects that DNA from Marquardt was found inside the victims’ house, mixed with the victims’ blood. Additionally, the victims’ blood was found on clothes, shoes, and a knife seized from Marquardt upon his arrest in Wisconsin, as well as in Marquardt’s car. Further, the gun that killed the victims was found in Marquardt’s cabin. Finally, the evidence suggested that Marquardt, who lived in Wisconsin at the time of the murders, was in Florida on the date the victims were killed. Accordingly, we conclude that the record provides sufficient evidence from which a rational trier of fact could convict Marquardt of the first-degree murder of Ruiz and Wells, as well as burglary of a dwelling with a firearm. We therefore affirm his convictions.