Bio 

Rodney Tyrone Lowe was born on June 2, 1970. By 1990, Lowe was living in Florida. His case became connected to the killing of Donna Burnell, a clerk at a convenience store in Indian River County. Police linked him to the crime after his fingerprints were found at the store and a vehicle connected to him was seen leaving the parking lot.

Investigators questioned Lowe about a week after the shooting. After speaking briefly with his girlfriend, he gave a statement that implicated him in the murder. He was arrested after giving that statement.

Lowe was convicted in 1991 and sentenced to death. Years later, new evidence suggested that another man, Dwayne Blackmon, may have been involved in the crime. Because of this and other penalty-phase issues, Lowe was granted a new sentencing hearing, but he was later resentenced to death.

Murder Story

The murder happened on the morning of July 3, 1990, at the Nu-Pak / Nu-Pack convenience store in Indian River County, Florida. Donna Burnell was working as the store clerk when a man entered the store and shot her with a .32-caliber handgun. She was shot in the face, head, and chest. Burnell died while being transported to the hospital. The shooter left the store without taking money from the cash drawer.

Police began investigating the killing and later connected Rodney Tyrone Lowe to the crime. His fingerprints were found at the scene, and his vehicle was reportedly seen leaving the store parking lot. About one week after the murder, investigators questioned him. After he spoke with his girlfriend, Lowe gave a statement that implicated him. He was arrested afterward.

On July 25, 1990, Lowe was indicted for first-degree murder and attempted robbery with a firearm. He pleaded not guilty. In April 1991, a jury found him guilty on both counts. On May 1, 1991, he was sentenced to death for murder and received a consecutive 15-year sentence for attempted robbery with a firearm.

Lowe appealed his conviction and death sentence. One of his main arguments was that police had improperly used his girlfriend to pressure him into giving a statement after he had invoked his right to counsel. The Florida Supreme Court rejected that argument and affirmed his conviction and death sentence in 1994.

Years later, Lowe filed post-conviction claims. New evidence was presented suggesting that Dwayne Blackmon, who died in 2003, may have been involved in Burnell’s murder. In 2005, the trial court granted Lowe a new penalty phase, while leaving the murder conviction in place. The Florida Supreme Court affirmed that ruling in 2008.

At the new penalty phase, a jury unanimously recommended death. Lowe was again sentenced to death. He appealed again, but the Florida Supreme Court upheld the renewed death sentence in 2018.