Florida’s longest-serving death row inmate granted hearing

Tommy Zeigler, 80, was convicted of murder and put on death row for the killing of four individuals in Winter Garden in 1976. 

Zeigler is the longest-serving death row inmate in Florida. 

In 1975, Zeigler was said to have killed his wife, her parents and a customer, all inside his Winter Garden furniture store on Christmas Eve. 

According to him, however, he walked in his store where a robbery was already taking place and he was attacked. 

Now, nearly 50 years later, Zeigler was granted a hearing on DNA evidence. 

The hearing began at 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. 1, where Zeigler’s attorneys argued the new DNA results could prove their client’s innocence. 

The court reviewed the latest DNA testing from clothing worn by all four victims and Zeigler as well. 

His attorneys said this might be Zeigler’s last chance to secure a new trial. 

The hearing is likely to last through the end of the week, where a ruling will be put in place on whether his original conviction will stand or if he will be granted a new trial as his attorneys hope.