State Attorney Thomas Bakkedahl has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty in the case of Carlos Tito Caban, a registered sex offender charged with the murder of Toni Lynn Marie Trabb at a Best Western hotel in Port St. Lucie. The charges follow a grand jury indictment for first-degree murder, grand theft, fraudulent use of a credit card, and criminal use of personal identification, according to WPBF.
Trabb, 58, was found unresponsive by hotel staff on March 24 and was soon after pronounced dead at the scene, a homicide confirmed by the medical examiner's office. Caban, who is 51, allegedly paid for the room with Trabb's credit card, which he had purportedly obtained during their on-off dating relationship that began months prior, according to the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, as reported by CBS12.
At the time of his interception by Tifton police, Caban was driving the victim's white Toyota Corolla and was accompanied by another woman, who, it is claimed, had agreed to travel with him to New York from Orlando. In addition to the potential death penalty for murder, the accused faces up to five years in prison for grand theft, up to five years and a $5,000 fine for fraudulent credit card use, and up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for misuse of personal identification, as per the sheriff's office.
Investigators from the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Criminal Division along with Assistant State Attorney Donald Richardson are working on the case, which Sheriff Richard Del Toro described, "There is still a long way to go, but this level of teamwork will be critical to a successful prosecution,” in a statement obtained by CBS12. Del Toro also emphasized gratitude towards investigators, deputies, and medical examiners for their roles so far.
The Sheriff's Office has announced a press conference to be held at 3 p.m. at their headquarters, providing an opportunity for further details to be shared with the public and media representatives regarding this unfolding legal case.
