In a harrowing domestic incident that ended in tragedy, Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma detailed the series of events that led to the death of Kristen Stevens, 40, who was found fatally stabbed in her home. Yesterday, sheriff's deputies responded to reports of a stabbing in the Pickett Downs neighborhood of Chuluota, according to WESH. Upon arriving at the scene, deputies discovered Stevens with multiple stab wounds, estimated between 20 and 70, inflicted with a kitchen knife found next to her body.
The estranged boyfriend, James Lindsey, 42, was identified as the perpetrator of the stabbing. After apparently fleeing the crime scene, Lindsey died in a car crash when his vehicle went off-road along Fort Christmas Rd. The couple's 16-year-old son was present during the attack but was unharmed, and an unidentified male present in the house sustained a stab wound to the leg while attempting to intervene. According to WFTV, this individual fled to a neighbor's home to call 911 for help.
Background reports uncovered a disturbing history of domestic violence spanning nearly two decades between Stevens and Lindsey. The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office and the State Attorney’s Office had previously requested for Lindsey to wear an ankle monitor following a recent arrest for domestic battery in November 2024. However, Judge Wayne Culver denied this request, setting the bond at $1,000 and ordering Lindsey not to return to the home or contact Stevens. The Florida Bar reports that Judge Culver was previously suspended and publicly reprimanded for unprofessional conduct in court.
If you're facing domestic violence, you can call the state hotline at 1(800) 500-1119 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1(800) 799-SAFE (7233). You can also text "START" to 88788 for help. For updates on this case, check Eyewitness News.
