OLD TOWN, Fla. (Court TV) — A Florida man was sentenced to life in prison without parole after being convicted of murdering a 14-year-old girl.
Waymore Gerhardt, now 22, was convicted of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the death of Demiah Appling. Appling was last seen alive in Oct. 2022, but her body wasn’t found until two months later.
(L) Demiah Appling, (R) Waymore Gerhardt. (Dixie County Sheriff’s Office)
In their opening statement, prosecutors argued Gerhardt was the last person to see Appling alive before taking her to a secluded location, shooting her with a .22 long rifle, and burying her in a shallow grave. Prosecutors said Gerhardt’s story changed multiple times during the investigation — first claiming he hadn’t seen Appling, then saying she came over for a sexual encounter before leaving with her boyfriend, and finally admitting she performed a sex act for $60 before walking away.
Prosecutors presented evidence showing Gerhardt borrowed a vehicle from a coworker on the night of the murder, and text messages allegedly show Gerhardt apologizing for making a mess in the vehicle. When the coworker questioned him about blood in the backseat, Gerhardt claimed he shot a squirrel, according to testimony.
The defense painted a different picture in their opening statement, arguing that while Gerhardt was involved in the aftermath, he did not pull the trigger and told jurors they would hear from witnesses full of half-truths, self-interest, and strategic amnesia. The defense told jurors the world failed Appling, describing her as a child running the streets with drug use issues who went missing for days at a time. The defense asked jurors to consider a conviction for accessory after the fact.
See more coverage of Waymore Gerhardt’s trial HERE.
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