Johnchuck Found Guilty Of Murder For Throwing Daughter Off Bridge

CLEARWATER, FL -- After deliberating for seven hours over a two-day period, a Pinellas County jury found John Johnchuck guilty of first-degree murder Tuesday in the death of his 5-year-old daughter.

The verdict, which has a mandatory life sentence, concludes a trial that lasted nearly a month and put the legal definition of insanity into question.

Whether John Johnchuck, now 29, killed his daughter, Phoebe, by dropping her off the Dick Misener Bridge into the frigid waters of Tampa Bay 62 feet below was never in question.

Up for debate was whether Johnchuck, who has a long history of mental problems, knew what he was doing when he tossed his daughter over the side of the bridge in January 2015. The little girl died of internal injuries and hypothermia.

Therefore, witnesses included a stream of psychologists and psychiatrists who gave conflicting opinions about Johnchuck's sanity.

Public Defender Jessica Manuele argued that Johnchuck's religious delusions made him incapable of understanding what he was doing. She said he believed his daughter was possessed and he was, in fact, saving her.

That opinion was supported by the testimony of Johnchuck's divorce attorney, Genevieve Torres, who said she had a meeting with Johnchuck the day before during which he called her "God" and asked her to translate a Swedish Bible belonging to his stepmother.

Torres said his behavior made her worry for Phoebe's safety and prompted her to call a state child protection hotline.

Assistant State Attorney Paul Bolan, however, said Johnchuck not only knew what he was doing when he killed his daughter, he planned it. Bolan said Johnchuck was enraged over the divorce and the possibility of losing his daughter.

"It was rage that drove him to the top of that bridge," Bolan said. "Did he know what he was doing, and did he know it was wrong? The answer is clearly 'yes.'"

As the verdict was read, Jonchuck calmly hugged and thanked his attorneys. When asked if he understood that the verdict carries a life sentence, he promptly answered, "Yes, your honor." He was then fingerprinted and led out of the courtroom.