Man sentenced to death for strangling Charlotte County cellmate

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. —

A man was sentenced to death Monday for the 2024 murder by strangulation of his cellmate at the Charlotte Correctional Institute.

According to the State Attorney's Office, William Tulenko murdered James Lindsey Howze on Feb. 29, 2024, while they were both incarcerated.

Previously, Tulenko pleaded guilty to the murder. A penalty phase trial determined whether he would receive a sentence of life in prison or the death penalty.

Tulenko was already incarcerated for an armed robbery in Hillsborough County and was pending trial for murder in Santa Rosa County. He was planning the murder of his cellmate since they were placed in the same cell, the State Attorney's Office said.

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