Florida Man Sentenced to Life for Stabbing Girlfriend 11 Times After She Stopped Talking to Him
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — A 60-year-old man will spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of stabbing his girlfriend 11 times in a brutal 2020 attack that prosecutors say was fueled by jealousy and resentment after she stopped speaking to him.
The killer, Robert Wayne Murray, was sentenced Friday to two consecutive life sentences without parole for the murder of 63-year-old Jenie Barbato, according to the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office.
How the Murder Unfolded
On September 14, 2020, Murray snuck into the Century Village retirement community, bypassed a guarded entrance, and broke into Barbato’s apartment through a window.
Armed with a large butcher’s knife, he stabbed Barbato 11 times in the upper back and torso, leaving her to die on the floor of her home. Deputies responding to a welfare check found her lying in a pool of blood, visible through a broken window.
Disturbing Messages Before the Killing
Court documents show Murray had been desperate to contact Barbato, who had blocked his phone number. He texted friends and acquaintances, pleading with them to convince her to speak to him.
In one chilling message, he warned: “Okay thanks. If she don’t do it, watch the news.”
Investigators later determined Murray himself made a 911 call that night, saying he was upset Barbato had cut off contact and that he wanted to kill himself.
Family Reaction to Sentencing
At sentencing, Barbato’s daughters described the ruling as bittersweet closure after years of waiting.
“I am filled with so much emotion. It’s been five very long years, but we have come to a resolution,” one daughter told CBS 12 News.
Another remembered Barbato as a loving mother who had survived a heart transplant a decade earlier. “She’s a beautiful, wonderful, caring mom. She is my heart, my everything. Today should have been a celebration of her transplant anniversary — instead, we’re here.”
The case highlights the devastating consequences of domestic violence and obsession. For more crime updates and community safety news, follow ChicagoMusicGuide.com.