MICHAEL
TODD ZELLMER
VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER & ARMED ROBBERY
CO-DEFENDANT OF ROBERT C. SPICKLER
GUILTY
In November 1997 Robert Spickler and his girl friend met the victim at a convention in Nevada. The victim told them if they were ever in Atlanta to call him. In April, 1998, Spickler and his friend Michael Zellmer came through Atlanta on their way to Daytona Beach for "Spring Break". They called the victim around 9:30 p.m. and he invited them to his home. After arriving, they talked for a while and they all went to a neighborhood bar and grill. They stayed until closing and they returned home where the victim invited them to spend the night. After the victim went to bed, Spickler went into the master bedroom and beat the victim to death with a sledge hammer, striking him in the head 7 or more times. The two took several items from the home including the victim's credit card and his father's watch which was engraved. They used the credit card in Florida and then returned to Nevada. The two were arrested in June, 1998. Roberty Spickler was tried in February, 2001, was convicted by a jury and received Life without Parole together with a sentence of Life to be served consecutively. Voir Dire of prospective jurors for Zellmer started May 4, 2001. After the State completed voir dire of the first panel, Zellmer entered a plea of guilty to the armed robbery charge, and plead guilty to the lessor included offense of voluntary manslaughter instead of murder.
ZELLMER
RECEIVED 20 YEARS
FOR ARMED ROBBERY, AND 14 YEARS
FOR VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER, CONSECUTIVE.
(Armed
Robbery is a serious violent felony and the defendant must serve 100% of the
sentence imposed, without the possibility of parole. Voluntary
Manslaughter is presently designated by the Board of Pardon and Paroles as a 90%
crime, and the defendant will be required to complete 90% of the 14 years before
he will be eligible for any parole.)
PROSECUTORS
DEFENSE ATTORNEYS
Pat Head, District
Attorney
Marc Cella
Russ Parker, Sr. Asst. District
Attorney
Mitch Durham
Eleanor Dixon, Sr. Asst. District Attorney