Pensacola
Man Convicted in Teen's Drug-Theft Murder
Associated Press
August 4, 2004
PENSACOLA, Fla. - A 21-year-old man was sentenced to life
in prison for lending his car to friends who killed an
18-year-old to steal her mother's marijuana.
Ryan Holle, of Pensacola, was convicted Tuesday of
first-degree felony murder in the March 2003 death of
Jessica Snyder, 18, who was beaten to death with the butt
of a shotgun. He was also convicted of burglary and robbery
charges.
Holle allowed his four co-defendants to borrow his car
after they talked about stealing a safe from Snyder's home
and beating her. He did not accompany his friends during
the crime.
"This crime could not and would not have been committed
without Mr. Holle's car," said Assistant State Attorney
David Rimmer. "No car equals no crime, no consequences and
no murder. He knew what they were going to do, and he let
them use his car to do it."
Defense attorney Sharon Potter said Holle didn't know they
were going to commit a crime with his car.
In June, Donnie Lee Williams, 20, and William Allen Jr.,
23, were convicted of first-degree murder, robbery and
burglary. They were also given mandatory life sentences.
The trial for Jermond Thomas, 22, is set for this week. The
fifth defendant, Charles Miller Jr., 23, is accused of
beating Snyder to death. Prosecutors said they will seek
the death penalty at his September trial.
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