Life in Prison for murder

Executive Director Bryan L. Shorstein of the State Attorney for the Seventh Judicial Circuit, reported to Historic City News that Putnam County defendant Jose A Maldonado Sr. pled guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison at the conclusion of his sentencing hearing on Friday.

In May of 2016, the 49-year-old Maldonado was living apart from his estranged girlfriend, Linnie “Chris” Drumm. On the day of the homicide, Drumm was at the Putnam County Health Department waiting for her daughter and granddaughter to return from their appointment when Maldonado approached her vehicle on foot and shot her one time in the head.

Maldonado immediately fled the scene and later called family members to admit what he had done. Family members of the Defendant brought him to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office where he turned himself in. The plea in the case followed attempts by defense attorneys to have Maldonado declared insane at the time of the offense and incompetent to proceed.

Chief Circuit Judge Raul Zambrano presided over the case and pronounced sentence. Homicide Unit Prosecutor Jennifer Dunton handled the case for the State and argued for the life sentence.