A federal courtroom delivered justice for a teenage girl whose decision to report sexual violence cost her life within 24 hours, as a jury convicted two Florida men on all charges in a murder-for-hire scheme that silenced her before she could testify.
The verdict announced Monday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida found Lenard White, 37, and his cousin Sheldon Robinson, 22, guilty on seven charges including conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, premeditated first-degree murder, and witness tampering. The convictions carry multiple mandatory life sentences, with formal sentencing scheduled for 30 January 2026.
The case reveals a chilling sequence of events that began on 6 February 2023, when 17-year-old Isabella Scavelli and her mother reported to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office that White had sexually assaulted the teenager. What should have triggered a criminal investigation and prosecution instead set in motion a violent conspiracy to eliminate the witness before she could provide testimony.
Less than 24 hours after filing the sexual assault report, Robinson appeared at Scavelli’s residence. When the door opened, he unleashed a barrage of gunfire that killed the teenager and struck her mother multiple times. The fatal bullet hit Scavelli in the back as she attempted to flee, whilst her mother, wounded but conscious, collapsed and watched her daughter die.
“She collapsed on the ground and watched her daughter die,” prosecutors stated in their release, capturing the horror of a mother forced to witness her child’s murder whilst herself bleeding from gunshot wounds.
Federal investigators piecing together the conspiracy discovered that White had orchestrated the entire operation from a calculated distance. He paid Robinson $6,000 to execute the killing, then left Florida before the shooting to establish an alibi that would place him far from the crime scene when bullets ended Scavelli’s life.
The joint investigation conducted by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ultimately resulted in more than 70 federal and state search warrants, an extraordinary scope reflecting the complexity and seriousness of the case. Detectives methodically uncovered a detailed plan documenting how Robinson carried out the shooting and identifying others who assisted in the conspiracy.
Six months into the investigation, a breakthrough came when investigators executed a second search warrant that led to discovery of the murder weapon buried in a wooded area behind Robinson’s home. The recovery of the firearm provided crucial physical evidence linking Robinson directly to the shooting.
Throughout the investigation, White and Robinson actively worked to obstruct justice through multiple means. They destroyed evidence, tampered with witnesses, and repeatedly lied to law enforcement officers attempting to uncover the truth about Scavelli’s murder. Their efforts to derail the investigation extended to discussions about killing another witness, demonstrating their willingness to commit additional murders to avoid accountability.
The witness tampering and obstruction charges reflect a sustained campaign to undermine the investigation rather than isolated attempts to conceal involvement. Each action to destroy evidence, intimidate witnesses, or mislead investigators represented an additional criminal act that compounded the original murder conspiracy.
The seven charges on which both men were convicted encompass the full scope of their criminal conduct. The conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire charge addresses the planning and agreement between White and Robinson. The murder-for-hire charge captures the financial transaction that transformed Robinson into a paid killer. The premeditated first-degree murder charge reflects the calculated nature of Scavelli’s killing. Three firearm charges address the use of weapons during the crime and the resulting death. The witness tampering and obstruction of justice charges encompass their efforts to evade accountability.
A third defendant, Keshawn Woods, previously entered a guilty plea for his role in the murder conspiracy and awaits sentencing. His cooperation may have provided investigators with information that strengthened the case against White and Robinson, though specific details of his involvement and testimony have not been publicly disclosed.
The mandatory life sentences both men face reflect federal sentencing guidelines for murder-for-hire convictions combined with first-degree murder during commission of a violent crime. Unlike some state murder convictions where parole may eventually become possible, federal mandatory life sentences typically mean imprisonment until death with no possibility of release.
The case illuminates the profound dangers sexual assault survivors face when they choose to report crimes to authorities. Scavelli’s decision to come forward with her mother, seeking justice through legal channels, should have been protected by the criminal justice system. Instead, the one-day window between her report and her murder reveals catastrophic failure to anticipate retaliation or provide protective measures.
