LAKELAND, Fla. — Opening statements began Monday in the murder trial of a man accused of killing a former Lakeland city commissioner and her husband inside their home, a crime police called "absolutely horrific."
Marcelle Waldon is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Edith "Edie" Henderson and David Henderson. Edie Henderson served as city commissioner for Lakeland from 2006 until the beginning of 2018.
The double murder happened the morning of Nov. 10, 2020, at the Henderson's home near Lake Morton. Police said at the time they believed David had gone out to get breakfast and was setting it up downstairs. Unbeknownst to him, his wife had been killed upstairs inside their master bedroom.
At some point, police said, David went upstairs and found Edie. She'd been stabbed. Waldon was reportedly still there and the two struggled before David was also killed.
Waldon then reportedly stole one of the couple's cars. That car was later found on fire in a field off Oregon Avenue, police said.
The next morning, Lakeland Police were called to do a welfare check on the couple. When officers arrived, they found the couple dead.
Waldon was later found and arrested at the Relax Inn on Lakeland Hills Boulevard. Waldon is also accused of stealing jewelry that belonged to the couple and giving it to someone who later tried to pawn it.
During a news conference at the time, police suggested it was possible Waldon tried to burn down the Henderson's house because officers found the gas stove with all the burners on.
In January 2021, prosecutors filed a motion to seek the death penalty.