Ocala, Florida — On December 3, 2013 at approximately 6:38a.m., the Ocala Police Department received a call that a Home Invasion Robbery had just occurred at 1529 NW 2nd Avenue. Officers responded and found that the resident Connie Cordell, age 65, was sitting in a living room chair with a stab wound to her chest. Cordell was transported to an un-named hospital by ambulance.
Prior to going into surgery, Cordell advised that she was letting her cat out sometime after 6 a.m. when the armed man jumped her fence then entered her home and demanded money. She said when she told him she didn’t have any money he became angry and stabbed her in the chest and took off.
The victim was unable to make further statements at that time due to going into surgery.
During the course of the investigation, a suspect was developed. This person was Lonnie David Todd, 51. Todd had served 20 years in DOC for an Attempted Sexual Battery on a Person Under 12; he was release on June 1, 2013.
Sergeant Keith Miller of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office was able to confirm that Todd had failed to comply with his requirement to register with MCSO within 48 hours of moving into Marion County, FL. Detectives then obtained a warrant for Todd on December 3, 2013 for Failure to Comply with Sexual Offender Requirements.
On December 4, 2013 Detective Mathew Steckman and Detective Mike Hilton were able to conduct a full interview with Cordell at the hospital. At that time, a more detailed account of the circumstances was revealed. In her statement, Cordell disclosed that the suspect had entered her home and after demanding money, had taken her to her bedroom and attempted to sexually batter her. She was able to fight back and that is when she was stabbed by the suspect, who immediately fled.
Cordell was able to identify her attacker as Lonnie Todd from a photographic lineup.
Deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office located Todd at the address on his Florida Driver’s License in Fort McCoy, Florida and take him into custody for the warrant. Todd was transported to OPD headquarters and interviewed. Although he confirmed his presence in the area during the time of the incident, he denied committing the crimes.
Todd was charged with one count of Attempted Felony Murder, One count of Home Invasion Robbery with a Deadly Weapon and one count of Attempted Sexual Battery with a Deadly Weapon. He was transported to the Marion County Jail and held without bond.
If convicted, Todd will spend the rest of his life in prison.