St. Augustine, FL – A Palm Coast man who took a plea deal for his role in what prosecutors call a love triangle murder gets 20 years in prison.
40-year-old Charles D. Massey learned his fate during a sentencing hearing Wednesday in St. Augustine.
Massey’s sentencing – which was 5 fewer years than the maximum he could have received under the terms of the plea deal made with 7th Circuit State Attorney RJ Larizza’s office – came after he testified against 27-year-old Justin A. Boyles during his trial.
A St. Johns County jury convicted Boyles on second-degree murder and kidnapping charges last December in the June 2013 death of 54-year-old Edward S. Mullener. Boyles could get up to life in prison when he’s sentenced on January 29th.
Prosecutors say Boyles tortured and beat Mullener to death before he and Massey placed Mullener’s body in the trunk of a Cadillac and set it on fire near the Flagler Estates neighborhood, part of the Hammock area of northeast Flagler County.
A Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputy found the burned-up body and vehicle the following day along a road near County Road 13.
Boyles and Massey allegedly murdered Mullener on behalf of a 35-year-old woman that Boyles was involved with romantically after she told them Mullener wouldn’t leave her alone. She was not charged.
Mugshots below are courtesy of Flagler County Jail.
Charles D. Massey
Justin A. Boyles
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