Florida man sentenced for workplace stabbing rampage

A Florida electrician has been convicted of murdering three co-workers in a violent rampage that began with a workplace dispute and escalated into a premeditated attack using a baseball bat and knife. Shaun Runyon, 44, was found guilty by a Polk County jury on three counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted second-degree murder, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. 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 victims were Kevin Lanusse, Runyon’s supervisor, Dewlon “Dew” Donell, and Gregory Dolezal, all of whom died during the early morning hours of October 2, 2021. A fourth victim survived after being beaten with the bat. The attack took place at a rented house where J&B Electric, a Pennsylvania-based company owned by Runyon’s half-brother, had housed its workers during a job at a Publix supermarket. The company had contracted electricians for the supermarket project, and the team included seven residents staying at the house that night.

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Runyon’s violence began after a physical altercation with Lanusse. He left the worksite, drove 70 miles to Tampa International Airport, abandoned his work vehicle, and rented a car. He then stopped at a Target to purchase the baseball bat, while a knife was already in his possession. By the time he returned, he had planned his attack with precision. The initial scuffle occurred around 2 a.m., and Runyon was formally indicted just weeks later, on October 26, 2021.

The first victim was beaten to death while asleep. Lanusse, who had been hospitalized after the initial assault, died later that day. The third victim was found dead on the front porch. A fourth person was attacked but survived. A family of three, including a then-7-year-old child, escaped unharmed. The attack was so severe that a 911 call was placed at 9:44 a.m. the following day, nearly 18 hours after the initial violence began.

Law enforcement described Runyon’s actions as methodical. An arrest affidavit noted that he adjusted a security camera inside the residence to avoid detection. “He (knew) they’re going to be in bed asleep because they’ve been working overnight,” Sheriff Grady Judd added. “He (knew) their pattern.” The affidavit also revealed that Runyon entered through the back door and deliberately manipulated the camera angle to obscure his entry, demonstrating forethought in covering his tracks.

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Runyon later told deputies he had brought the bat into Lanusse’s room and beaten him “until he saw brain matter.” His intent as he told us in his confession was to kill all three victims, Judd said. The attack left a “horrific scene,” Judd said, calling Runyon a “cold-blooded, calculated, violent, murdering beast.”

Runyon’s trial now moves to sentencing, which could begin this month. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, and the next phase of proceedings is set to begin.