Shaun Runyon (Polk County Sheriff’s Office).
A Florida electrician described by law enforcement as a “murdering beast” may die in prison for killing several co-workers with a baseball bat and a knife.
This week, Shaun Runyon, 44, was convicted by a jury of his peers in Polk County on three counts of first-degree murder over the deaths of 41-year-old Kevin Lanusse, who was Runyon’s supervisor, 46-year-old Dewlon “Dew” Donell, and 41-year-old Gregory Dolezal.
The defendant was also convicted of one count of attempted second-degree murder, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
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The underlying crimes occurred in October 2021 and resulted in “a horrific scene,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said at the time. In quick fashion, Runyon was formally indicted later that month.
On the day in question, J&B Electric, a Pennsylvania-based company owned by Runyon’s half-brother, had a team of contract electricians working on a job for the Publix supermarket company.
During the early morning hours, Runyon and Lanusse got into a scuffle about a workplace incident. After punching his supervisor, the defendant, still enraged, left the worksite. But he came back.
Runyon drove approximately 70 miles to Tampa International Airport, where he left his work vehicle. The defendant then rented a car and drove to a nearby Target, where he purchased a baseball bat. A knife used in the spate of killings was already in his possession.
The first fight broke out around 2 a.m. on Oct. 2, 2021. At 9:44 a.m. the next day, a 911 call came in about a possible murder.
Once he returned, the defendant attacked several people staying in a house the company had been renting. Wielding the baseball bat and knife, Runyon beat and stabbed four of the seven residents.
“This is a cold-blooded, calculated, violent, murdering beast,” Judd said at a news conference. “He planned in great detail how he was going to murder these three folks.”
The defendant apparently attempted to cover his tracks.
“The suspect entered the residence through the back door and adjusted a security surveillance camera inside the residence that captured the back door he entered from,” an arrest affidavit reads. “The suspect indicated the camera was pointed at him as he entered which is why he adjusted it.”
The first victim was beaten to death while he slept. The second victim, his supervisor, was hospitalized after authorities arrived, but died later that same day. The third victim was found dead on the front porch.
“He (knew) they’re going to be in bed asleep because they’ve been working overnight,” Judd added. “He (knew) their pattern.”
Runyon also told deputies that he brought the bat into the room of the supervisor with whom he’d previously fought and proceeded to beat him “until he saw brain matter,” CBS News reported.
“His intent as he told us in his confession was to kill all three victims,” Judd said.
A fourth victim was also attacked with the bat but survived. A family of three, including a then-7-year-old child, escaped unharmed.
The sentence could come this month. Now that Runyon has been found guilty, the next phase of his trial will begin on Sept. 16 — but could drag out because prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
The post Electrician convicted of murdering co-workers with knife and baseball bat in rampage in which he beat his supervisor ‘until he saw brain matter’ first appeared on Law & Crime.
