Roderick Orme sentenced to death for 1992 murder of local nurse

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - In March of 1993, Roderick Orme received the death penalty for raping and murdering Lisa Redd in Panama City. Thursday, Bay County Circuit Court Judge Brantley Clark ruled that the verdict still stands after Orme’s resentencing.

Redd, 34, was a local nurse in the area at the time of her death. Reports said Orme and Redd had previously dated prior to the murder on March 3, 1992. At that time, Orme was said to be high on crack cocaine and drinking in a motel room when he called Redd for help. That’s when Orme raped and strangled Redd to death.

Orme was charged with first-degree murder and got the death penalty by a seven to five vote by jurors. The case was again reopened in 2017 after a case decided by the Florida Supreme Court, Hurst vs. the State of Florida, deemed it unconstitutional for a person to be sentenced to death without a unanimous jury decision. Thursday, the death sentence still stands.

Redd’s sister, Carol Atwell, says her sister has missed out on so much over the last 30 years.

“My daughter, I have three children, she did not get to see my second daughter grow up or she never met my son. She’s never met my grandchildren and she’s missing out on that. She’s missing out on meeting her own granddaughter. So, she’s missed so much and we’ve missed so much; birthdays, weddings, every kind of holiday that there is. She’s not here and there’s an empty place at the table where she should be,” said Atwell.

Redd’s brother Larry Morris said he misses everything about his sister.

“Just her smile. I guess the number one thing I miss about her is just being loved by her. Just unconditional love. My sister Lisa had the most unique ability, I don’t know that she ever hated anyone, but she was able to give unconditional love and that was one of the most beautiful things about her,” said Morris.

A second sentence hearing was held in 2007 when a different jury voted for the death penalty by an 11 to one vote. A third sentencing was held in 2017 based on a supreme court decision calling for a 12 to zero vote. Orme was also charged with robbery and sexual battery with physical force.

“I still have a heavy heart. It’s hard to think that someone else is going to die because of this, but he did the crime, so he should pay,” said Atwell.

There is not yet a set date for his execution.

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