Bio

Patrick Charles Hannon was born on October 24, 1964. At the time of the offenses, Hannon had an extensive criminal history. Florida Department of Corrections records indicate that he had accumulated numerous prior convictions before the murders of Brandon Snider and Robert Carter. The details of all prior offenses are not fully outlined in the appellate opinions, but prosecutors relied upon his criminal history during the sentencing proceedings to establish aggravating circumstances.

In early 1991, Hannon became associated with James "Jim" Acker and Ronald "Ron" Richardson. The events that led to the murders stemmed from an act of vandalism involving Acker's sister, Toni Acker.

In December 1990, Brandon Snider traveled to Indiana and vandalized Toni Acker's bedroom. According to testimony presented at trial, this incident angered members of the Acker family and eventually led to a plan to confront Snider.

Murder Story

On January 10, 1991, Patrick Hannon, James Acker, and Ronald Richardson drove to the apartment shared by Brandon Snider and Robert Carter in Hillsborough County, Florida. The evidence presented at trial showed that the group went to the apartment seeking revenge for the earlier vandalism of Toni Acker's bedroom.

When Brandon Snider answered the door, James Acker attacked him with a knife and stabbed him repeatedly. During the assault, Patrick Hannon cut Snider's throat. The commotion attracted the attention of Robert Carter, who came downstairs to investigate. Carter witnessed the attack and immediately fled upstairs. He hid beneath his bed in an effort to avoid being discovered.

Hannon and Acker pursued Carter into the upstairs portion of the apartment. They located him hiding under the bed. Patrick Hannon then shot Carter six times, killing him. After the murders, the three men left the scene. Law enforcement quickly focused on Hannon, Acker, and Richardson. Hannon was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

Ron Richardson eventually pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact and agreed to testify for the prosecution. His testimony became an important part of the State's case against Hannon. James Acker was tried separately. He was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences.

Hannon's trial took place in the Circuit Court for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County, Florida. On July 23, 1991, the jury found him guilty on both counts of first-degree murder. The following day, July 24, 1991, the jury unanimously recommended that Hannon receive the death penalty for both murders by a vote of 12-0.

On August 5, 1991, Judge M. William Graybill formally sentenced Patrick Charles Hannon to death on both counts. Hannon appealed his convictions and sentences to the Florida Supreme Court. He raised numerous issues, including challenges to jury selection, the admission of evidence, aggravating circumstances, and the proportionality of his sentence compared with those of his co-defendants.

On June 2, 1994, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed both his convictions and death sentences. Hannon subsequently sought review from the United States Supreme Court, which denied certiorari on February 21, 1995. Over the following years, Hannon pursued post-conviction relief through a Rule 3.850 motion and a petition for writ of habeas corpus. He alleged ineffective assistance of counsel and raised several additional claims regarding his conviction and sentence.

The Circuit Court denied his post-conviction motion on February 4, 2003. On August 31, 2006, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the denial of post-conviction relief and also denied his habeas petition. Hannon later pursued additional federal appeals. The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit likewise denied relief.

Patrick Charles Hannon remains incarcerated on death row in the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections.