Bio

Randy L. Schoenwetter was born on October 27, 1981. He grew up in a challenging environment. His mother faced difficulties during her pregnancy, suffering from poor nutrition and illness. She also experienced physical abuse from Randy’s father. These early life circumstances affected Randy in ways that he would struggle with later.

As a child, Randy faced bullying and abuse from his peers at school. This made it hard for him to make friends and develop social skills. He was often ridiculed, which left him feeling alone. He did poorly in school and did not have a strong social life. By the time he was a teenager, doctors estimated that he had a social comprehension level similar to that of an 8- to 10-year-old. He dealt with significant mental health issues, including Asperger's Syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Randy's interests leaned toward darker themes. He became preoccupied with satanic and sexual matters. He engaged in behaviors typical of his interests, like calling adult hotlines and looking at pornographic material. He also tried to join the Marines around this time but was rejected due to his poor eyesight. This rejection hit him hard.

Growing up, Randy lived with his mother and also faced physical abuse from her boyfriend. He had no prior criminal history before the events that led to his arrest. At 18 years old, he became involved in a tragic incident that would change his life forever.

Murder Story

On August 12, 2000, Randy Schoenwetter broke into the Friskey home in Brevard County, Florida. His intention was to harm the family. He entered through a sliding glass door and took a kitchen knife. Once inside, he first went to the bedroom of the youngest daughter, 10-year-old Virginia Friskey. When Virginia woke up and screamed, it alerted her mother, Haesun, who quickly came to check on her.

Haesun saw Randy next to her daughter's bed, and she yelled at him. In the struggle, Haesun and her husband, Ronald, tried to defend their daughter. During the fight, Randy used the knife against them. Ronald died from his injuries while trying to protect his family, and Virginia was also fatally stabbed.

Haesun survived the attack despite sustaining serious wounds. After the incident, Randy left the house in a hurry and rode his bicycle back to his apartment. At his home, he cleaned himself up and disposed of the bloody knife and his clothes in a dumpster. Detectives later found these items, which helped link him to the crime.

Randy had been friends with the Friskey family and had previously spent time at their house. The attack left the family's 16-year-old daughter, Theresa, unharmed but terrified. She called 911 after locking herself in her room when she heard the commotion.

Following the investigation, Randy Schoenwetter was arrested. He confessed to the crimes during an interview with the police and took full responsibility for his actions. On December 5, 2003, he was sentenced to death for the murders of Ronald and Virginia Friskey.