ORLANDO, Fla. (Court TV) — A man convicted of murder in California now faces a potential death sentence after a jury found him guilty of killing a different woman in Florida.

Demorris Hunter appears in court on the first day of his trial, April 6, 2026. (Court TV)

Demorris Hunter, 59, was convicted of first-degree murder and theft in the death of Theresa Ann Green, 38, who was found strangled to death and left in the trunk of her own car.

The jury will return on Monday to begin deliberations in the penalty phase, as prosecutors pursue the death penalty for Hunter.

On May 26, 2002, Hunter was living in the same apartment building as the victim, and the two were both guests at a party hosted by Joyce Butler and Joseph Butler, who also lived in the building. The two went to leave the party at the same time, and witnesses told police that they saw both the victim and the defendant fall down the stairs before getting up and entering the victim’s apartment.

The Butlers told police that several hours after the party ended, Hunter returned to their apartment and asked Joseph Butler for a favor. Hunter allegedly gave Joseph Butler the keys to a white van and asked him to drive behind him as he drove Green’s car. Joseph Butler never saw Green; Hunter parked Green’s Oldsmobile at a Walgreens and then joined Joseph Butler in the white van. When Joseph Butler asked why the victim’s vehicle was being left behind, Hunter said, “I did something really bad.” Joseph Butler told police he then said he didn’t want to hear anything else and the topic was dropped.

Police were dispatched to the Walgreens, where they found Green’s car. When they looked inside, they found her body wrapped in an unknown material in the trunk. The medical examiner determined the death was a homicide caused by manual strangulation.

When officers interviewed the owner of the white van, Henry Fields, he told them that Hunter had recently traveled to the area from Oakland, California. Fields said that the defendant confided in him that he had committed a murder in Oakland before coming to Orlando; the victim in that case was a longtime friend of Hunter’s girlfriend, police said.

Hunter was convicted in the Oakland murder and sentenced to 110 years before he was extradited to Florida to face charges in Green’s death, WFTV reported.  Prosecutors filed an intention to seek the death penalty if Hunter is convicted of killing Green.

DAILY TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 3 – 4/8/26

• LIVESTREAM: FL v. Demorris Hunter – Day 3 | Serial Killer Cold Case Trial
• Prosecutors delivered closing arguments.
  • Said that Green was thrown in the back of her own trunk like a piece of trash.
  • Green and Hunter were dating at the time of her death; Hunter was lying about his real name.
  • WATCH: Serial Killer Made ‘Conscious Decision To Strangle the Life Out’ of Theresa Ann Green: State
• The defense delivered closing arguments.
  • Disagreed with the state’s portrayal of the case.
  • Joseph Butler was not credible; the Butlers were heartless and did not care what happened to Green.
  • Suggested the Butlers were involved in Green’s death.
  • WATCH: Serial Killer’s Defense Points Finger at ‘Heartless’ Party Hosts for Victim’s Death
• The jury found Hunter guilty of first-degree murder.

DAY 2 – 4/7/26

• LIVESTREAM: FL v. Demorris Hunter – Day 2 | Serial Killer Cold Case Trial
• Troy MacDonald, Sanford Police Department
  • Located Theresa Green’s vehicle at Walgreens in 2002.
• Michael Uglione, Firefighter (Ret.)
  • Was on the scene when Theresa Green’s vehicle was found at Walgreens.
  • Gained access to the vehicle but did not see what was in the trunk.
• Howard Keuhn was recalled
  • Performed fingerprint analysis on Green.
• Terry Kuehl, arson investigator (Ret.)
  • Called to investigate a vehicle fire on July 30, 2022.
  • Burned van was found in Texas.
  • Fire was inside the van and was intentionally set.
• Dennis Finch, Former police officer
  • Asked to find the VIN of the car that was on fire.
• Monroe Gage, K9 officer
  • Assisted in the arrest of Demorris Hunter.
  • Hunter ran but was eventually captured.
  • WATCH: Stunning Capture: K9 Officer Details Serial Killer’s Arrest
• Kirsten Kevin, Florida Department of Law Enforcement
  • Performed DNA analysis on Green and Hunter.
  • Obtained a partial match to Hunter.
• Gary Utz, forensic pathologist
  • Reviewed the autopsy of Theresa Green, finding apparent trauma and injuries consistent with strangulation.
  • Ruled cause of death as strangulation.
• The prosecution rested its case.
• Jonathan Arden, forensic pathologist
  • Disagreed with Utz’s determination for cause of death.
  • Said the cause of death should be “undetermined.”
• The defense rested its case.

DAY 1 – 4/6/26

• LIVESTREAM: FL v. Demorris Hunter – Day 1 | Serial Killer Cold Case Trial
• Prosecutors delivered opening statements.
  • Theresa Ann Green was at a party where Demorris Hunter was also a guest; she was last seen at 2:30 am when the party ended.
  • Hunter was seen driving Green’s car the next morning. Her car was left at a Walgreens.
  • Hunter said he did something “really bad,” but the party host didn’t want to hear about it.
  • Green’s body was found wrapped in the trunk of her car.
  • WATCH: Convicted Serial Killer Said ‘I Did Something Really Bad’: State
• Hunter’s defense delivered opening statements.
  • This is a tragic story where alcohol plays a factor; the events surrounding Green’s death were chaotic.
  • Hunter had nothing to do with Green’s death.
  • Green slapped the party host, and he slapped her and a fight continued after the party ended.
  • WATCH: ‘You’ll See No Signs of Manual Strangulation’: Convicted Serial Killer’s Defense
• Joseph Butler, party host
  • Theresa Green was his neighbor; most of the people in the apartment building worked for Florida Hospital.
  • There was a large hold in the wall of Green’s apartment when he went in; he found out she was missing and later murdered.
  • Said Green slapped him and he hit her back, but the argument ended there.
  • Said Theresa tried to kick Hunter down the stairs, but Hunter grabbed her and they both tumbled, but neither had visible injuries.
  • The next morning, Hunter asked him to drive a white van behind him while he drove Green’s car to Walgreens, where he left it.
  • WATCH: Convicted Serial Killer Told Party Host ‘I Messed Up’
• Lisa Moore, Joyce Butler’s daughter/Joseph Butler’s stepdaughter
  • Knew Green as her mother’s neighbor and recalled the gathering on May 25, 2002.
  • Saw Green and Hunter together at the party and assumed they were seeing each other.
  • Knocked on Green’s door trying to use the phone after her stepfather was upset, but Hunter opened the door and said to come back later. When she returned a second time, nobody answered.
• Octavius Hayes. Theresa Green’s son
  • Was 13-years-old and staying with his mother at the time of her murder.
  • Spent a night with friends on Memorial Day weekend. When he returned home on May 27, he saw holes in the wall, the home a mess and the contents of his mother’s purse were scattered on her bed.
  • WATCH: ‘I Knew Something Happened’: Son Finds Home in Disarray in Serial Killer Case
• Roy Filipucci, Orlando Police Department (Ret.)
  • Responded to a missing person report for Theresa Green.
  • Noticed damage to the wall, an empty purse on the bed and gold watch on the sink.
  • Demorris Hunter developed as a person of interest.
• Douglas Thomas, Crime scene investigator (Ret.)
  • Collected DNA samples and blood from Green’s apartment.
• Marissa Kuzma, Investigator
  • The jury saw recorded testimony going over images from Green’s apartment.
• Joyce Butler, party host
  • Talked about the gathering at her home on May 25, 2002.
  • Did not know whether Hunter and Green were dating.
  • Said she saw Green slap her husband.
  • MORE: Witness admits lying to police for years at trial for suspected serial killer
• Howard Keuhn, Orlando Police Department (Ret.)
  • Testified to latent prints.