@meghannmcuniff: A 74-year-old Florida man told a judge on Monday that he'll plead guilty to murder if he's given "a Philly cheesesteak and an order of fries and a Pepsi." Robert Kessler said the cheesesteak should have "onions on it and mayonnaise." "I understand," said Judge Nick Nazaretian in Hillsborough County Circuit Court in Tampa. "And a 20 ounce Pepsi. It's got to be 20 ounces," said Kessler, who's representing himself. "It's got to be 20 ounces, huh? Okay," Nazaretian said. Kessler said the deal would "save the jury" and "save the taxpayers." The judge rejected the offer. "I appreciate that. I appreciate that. I've never in my 40 years of — almost 40 years — have ever heard that request before. It's interesting. ... I can't obviously give food to people in a plea, but that would be wrong in a thousand ways. I can guarantee you'll have lunch today, but I can't guarantee what it would be," Nazaretian said. Nazaretian was telling Kessler about his plea options in his murder and abuse of a body case, which accuses him of murdering Stephanie Crone-Overholts, 47, and dumping her dismembered remains into McKay Bay in November 2021. He first was declared incompetent for trial and housed in a psychiatric facility, but, after treatment, Judge Robin F. Fuso ruled in March 2025 that he was now competent. Kessler's trial is to begin this week if he doesn't resolve his charges through a plea deal or, as Judge Nazaretian told him on Monday, an open plea in which he pleads guilty to some or all charges without an agreement with prosecutors and a sentencing recommendation. The judge said Kessler's maximum prison sentence could be 30 years, not life, but he said at 74 years old, "it's the same thing as a life sentence really at this point." "I don't want to open plea. Just pick the jury," Kessler said. "I want this cheese sandwich. If I get the sandwich, then I could go for it. But I'm not going to get it. So," Kessler continued. Opening statements are scheduled for Tuesday. #law #crime #court

Meghann Cuniff

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Tuesday 27 October 2026 04:00:18 GMT