# Check, please, I'm outta here. (people killed over Xbox) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 8, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887 "2004-08-08T15:38:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/1 "2004-08-08T15:38:29Z")
[CNN story](http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/08/08/bodies.found/index.html) Six people were murdered over a fucking Xbox that the ringleader believed were stolen by someone in the house. The accomplices (all 18 years old) have spilled their guts. These people, who may or may not have stolen the items, were beaten to death while they slept. The killers used aluminum baseball bats. Just when you think people couldn’t be more fucked up, a story like this comes along. If these fuckers don’t get the death penalty, I don’t know what it would take. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/2 "2004-08-08T16:11:20Z")
[Orlando Sentinel story: registration required](http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-bk-vl-murderarrests080804,0,2446631.story?coll=orl-home-headlines) > [@](#): > > DELTONA – Four men have been arrested in the brutal slayings of six people, who were beaten to death with aluminum baseball bats. The crime is one of the worst mass killings in Florida history. > > The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrests Sunday morning. Three of the men in custody are 18 years old and have confessed to their involvement. > > The fourth man, Troy Victorino, age 27, has a long criminal record which includes beating a man nearly to death with a walking stick in 1996. He has not confessed, officials said. > > “He is the ring leader,” Sheriff Ben Johnson said during a news conference. “This is over some items of clothing and an X-Box [videogame system] he felt belonged to him… He felt like one of the individuals in that house was responsible for his property and he set out to get even.” > > Johnson said the irony was that the property had been boxed up for him. > > “They were holding it for him. They boxed it up for him. It was in the house,” Johnson said. I’m gonna file this under “reasons to be glad I moved away from Florida.” ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/3 "2004-08-08T16:36:33Z")
Deltona is only about a 45 minute drive from me. I attended Deltona Junior High back in the day. Crime happens everywhere. This just happens to be a case that got nationwide attention. Don’t slam the whole state. Actually, I’m glad they found the attackers so quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/4 "2004-08-08T16:38:18Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Don’t slam the whole state. That’s one thing about psychotic wack jobs: they don’t care where they live. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/5 "2004-08-08T16:41:50Z")
The reason I say I’m glad I moved away is that, in my opinion, there’s a lot more of this weird shit going on in Florida than elsewhere. I mean, sure, six people can get murdered anywhere, but murdered over an Xbox? It makes no sense! They had his stuff ready to go. It’s just such an odd motivation, and it seems there’s a lot of odd people and odd motivations for crimes in Florida. I mean, the state has its own crime novel genre, for chrissakes. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/6 "2004-08-08T16:47:26Z")
> [@SanibelMan](#): > > but murdered over an Xbox? It makes no sense! They had his stuff ready to go. What did he say to the other three idiots that would make them go along with this? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/7 "2004-08-08T17:44:04Z")
> [@SanibelMan](#): > > The reason I say I’m glad I moved away is that, in my opinion, there’s a lot more of this weird shit going on in Florida than elsewhere. I mean, sure, six people can get murdered anywhere, but murdered over an Xbox? It makes no sense! They had his stuff ready to go. It’s just such an odd motivation, and it seems there’s a lot of odd people and odd motivations for crimes in Florida. I mean, the state has its own crime novel genre, for chrissakes. I don’t think it’s unique. This could have happened in New York, or Texas, or Connecticut. It just happened this time to be in Florida. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/8 "2004-08-08T17:52:05Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > What did he say to the other three idiots that would make them go along with this? “If we work hard enough, we’ll create the mystique that Florida is more batshit crazy than any other state and really piss off ivylass on the SDMB.” “_What’s the SDMB?_” “I dunno. The aliens that send me orders through my tinfoil hat told me about it.” “_Who’s ivylass/_” “I think that’s one of Jenna Jameson’s usernames on the Frisky Floridian Facials website.” “_Ohhhhhhhhh…_” ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f1d935/32.png) [@Lady\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_Ice)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/9 "2004-08-08T18:08:08Z")
I heard about the killings, but I didn’t know it was over an Xbox. On a related note, get a look at this. [www.lsj.com/news/local/040807\_brother\_1b-2b.html](http://www.lsj.com/news/local/040807_brother_1b-2b.html) He supposedly killed his own brother over less than ten bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Shrinking\_Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Shrinking\_Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shrinking_Violet)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/10 "2004-08-08T18:29:21Z")
> [@](#): > > “He is the ring leader,” Sheriff Ben Johnson said during a news conference. “This is over some items of clothing and an X-Box [videogame system] he felt belonged to him… He felt like one of the individuals in that house was responsible for his property and he set out to get even.” In the UK, a statement like this by the authorities to the media would preclude the perp ever being brought to justice, as it would be seen as making a “fair trial” pretty near impossible. Isn’t it the same in the US? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/11 "2004-08-08T18:59:24Z")
> [@Shrinking Violet](#): > > In the UK, a statement like this by the authorities to the media would preclude the perp ever being brought to justice, as it would be seen as making a “fair trial” pretty near impossible. Isn’t it the same in the US? 😕 People tend to overestimate the practical effect that such statements have as far as “poisoning the jury pool” is concerned. In a notorious case here in Canada, (which has yet to go to trial,) an Ontario police chief recently held a press conference to announce the apprehension of a suspect in the death of a beautiful little girl. [Eyebrows were raised](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040724/TCECICHIEF24/TPNational/Toronto) when he showed a mugshot of the suspect and made the declaration “This is not just a murderer – this is the most despicable of criminals. This is a child murderer.” While it was obviously an ill-advised remark, realistically Mr Chen’s right to a fair trial has not been jeapordized-- the jury selection process allows the courts to ensure that they have people who understand their duty to examine the actual evidence presented to them, and leave any preconceptions that they have behind them. Being brought to trial is an accusation in itself. Jurors have to understand that an accusation (even a foot-in-mouthed, emotional accusation) doesn’t mean squat without a preponderance of evidence – and it’s not _so_ hard to find twelve people who understand this simple concept. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/12 "2004-08-08T19:01:16Z")
> [@Shrinking Violet](#): > > In the UK, a statement like this by the authorities to the media would preclude the perp ever being brought to justice, as it would be seen as making a “fair trial” pretty near impossible. Isn’t it the same in the US? 😕 Not necessarily. If the guy confessed to the crime, and what the officer said was part of the killer’s confession (or one of the accomplices confession) then it’s going to be heard in court anyway. And if the officer is talking out of his ass, then the defense can use it as an argument in court that the police had made up their mind about who the guilty party was, without following proper procedures to acquire the necessary evidence to secure a conviction. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/13 "2004-08-08T19:17:30Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > These people, who may or may not have stolen the items, were beaten to death while they slept. The killers used aluminum baseball bats. > > Just when you think people couldn’t be more fucked up, a story like this comes along. You said it. I hate aluminum bats. They’re ruining baseball. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/14 "2004-08-08T23:04:31Z")
It’s a good thing I won’t be sitting on the jury for that trial, 'cuz I’d be laughing my damn fool head off at the case. “You committed murder over an **XBox?** Good gravy, man, that’s lame! The only thing dumber was if you had done the deed over the XBox and a matching set of Monster Cables…” ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2004, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/15 "2004-08-08T23:30:32Z")
Xbox new commercial: You too would kill for it. 😉 How bizarre. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/16 "2004-08-09T00:16:39Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > What did he say to the other three idiots that would make them go along with this? I wanna know this one, too. I have a hard time believing that one homicidal moron could quickly locate three others on short notice. Therefore, I can only speculate about what Mr. Nutjob did or said that convinced three other people to join him in beating a houseful of people (and one dog) to death… ---
**Author:** ![AdmiralCrunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@AdmiralCrunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AdmiralCrunch)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/17 "2004-08-09T01:36:36Z")
They were probably the people who used controllers 2, 3, and 4 on the Xbox. Once they found out that they could no longer kill virtual people, these idiots decided to start killing real people. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/18 "2004-08-09T03:15:07Z")
I’m wondering if they were with him as squatters in the grandmother’s house. At least one of them had moved out of home in May. But, yeah, seems like it should take a **lot** of persuading, maybe even threats, to get people to go along with that plan. Although it does seem that the killings were just the end of the whole scheme, which included harrassment during the last few days. So maybe it just escalated with each episode, until they were all ready to go the next step. And I’m going to go ahead and say what we all know. This has nothing to do with the xbox. I think it’s a “you can’t do that to me” power trip from being kicked out of that house. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/19 "2004-08-09T05:36:34Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > Xbox new commercial: You too would kill for it. 😉 > > How bizarre. Oh my, this made me laugh out loud! On a side note, maybe the Xbox was modded and contained a list of high profile coke dealers or something. I’d kill for that… If I was a columbian drug lord. Perfect place to keep some confidential info. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2004, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887/20 "2004-08-09T05:52:25Z")
Hey man, don’t fuck with a man and his \Halo\. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-please-im-outta-here-people-killed-over-xbox/258887.md?page=2)