Recently-suspended judge declined to put ankle monitor on domestic abuser who went on to stab estranged wife up to 70 times while she slept: Cops

James Lindsey and Kristen Stevens

Left inset: James Lindsey. Right inset: Kristen Stevens (Seminole County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Home in Chuluota, Florida, where Lindsey allegedly stabbed Stevens to death (WKMG/YouTube).

A Florida man died in a car crash after he allegedly broke into his estranged wife’s home and stabbed her up to 70 times, with the murder coming about a month after a judge — who was suspended last week for abusive language — declined to put an ankle monitor on him, according to cops.

James Lindsey, 42, assaulted his estranged wife, 40-year-old Kristin Stevens, a little under a month before killing her, according to police. He was arrested on Nov. 6 for domestic violence battery at her home, where he also allegedly took her life.

The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office and Attorney’s Office of the 18th Judicial Circuit had asked a judge to place Lindsey on GPS monitoring. However, Seminole County Circuit Court Judge Wayne Culver denied the request and ordered Lindsey not to contact Stevens.

The sheriff’s office said it responded to a call around 1 a.m. Thursday for two people suffering from stab wounds at Stevens’ home in the 2600 block of Hibbard Trail in Chuluota, about 20 miles northeast of Orlando, cops say. Deputies found Stevens dead in the home from multiple stab wounds. Another victim — a man who has not been publicly identified — was stabbed and fled to a neighbor’s house to call 911. There also was a 16-year-old boy at home during the incident but he was not harmed.

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Deputies say Lindsey broke into the home and attacked the two victims before fleeing the scene. About four hours later, Lindsey died in a single-car crash.

Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma said during a press conference that the surviving victim told deputies he found Lindsey on top of Stevens stabbing her in the bedroom. The man tried to fight Lindsey off and ended up stabbed in the leg. Lemma estimated Lindsey stabbed Stevens between 20 and 70 times.

“This is a heartbreaking and traumatic incident that will have a lasting impact on families and a community,” Lemma said in a statement. “I am proud of our deputies’ quick response to the scene and our detectives who have been working around the clock to put these cases together. Our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. Our team will continue to work diligently to uncover the full details surrounding this case.”

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