The long journey to justice has eventually come to an end for the family of 21-year-old Savannah Gold.
Lee Rodarte, the man charged with killing the 21-year-old in 2017, was convicted to 40 years in prison on March 11, 2021.
According to Action News Jax reports, Lee Rodarte Jr., 31, received his sentence on March 11, nearly three years after he was charged with killing Gold, with whom he worked at a Bonefish Grill in Mandarin. In February, Rodarte reached an arrangement with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder; in exchange, prosecutors proposed a sentence of 40 years with credit for time served, and the judge agreed.
Rodarte appeared virtually before 4th Circuit Court Judge Jeb Branham to file the plea agreement made with prosecutors.
“You understand that you are pleading guilty, and you will be adjudicated guilty to count one, second-degree murder,” said Judge Branham. “… Do you understand that to be the sentence that you have agreed to?”
“Yes, sir,” replied Rodarte.
Action News Jax was published in 2019 when Rodarte tried to claim self-defense 2019. His claim was later denied.
Rodarte was also charged with proof tampering and abusing a body, but those charges were dropped as part of his plea agreement.
Prosecutors and the defense negotiated a sentence of 40 years in prison with credit for time served.
Who is Savannah Gold? How did Lee Rodarte murder her
In Mandarin, Savannah Gold was a server at the Bonefish Grill on San Jose Boulevard, where Rodarte was a manager.
In a previous news release, Rodarte was in an on-again, off-again relationship with Gold while working as a manager at the restaurant, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said. Surveillance footage showed Gold show up for work around 5:30 p.m. on August 2, 2017, but after parking her car, she did not go inside the restaurant; she instead got into the passenger seat of Rodarte’s parked car, authorities said. Less than 15 minutes later, what looked to be a brief fight ensued inside of the vehicle, and Gold was never seen coming out from the car. Instead, Rodarte got out and went to Gold’s car, opening the driver’s side door and reaching inside before going back to his car and driving away.
When police found Gold’s car, one of the tires had been slashed; inside the unlocked car were her purse and other belongings, as of News 4 Jax reports. Her family then started to receive text messages from her phone, in which Gold apparently announced that she’d met someone and was running away with that person. However, due to the spelling and how the messages were worded, her family and friends did not accept that Gold was the person behind the texts, according to the outlet.
One text, received by Gold’s brother, read, “heyi quit im leavingwith my boyfriend i cant do this s—- anymore im fine justwant to get away,” The Florida Times-Union reports.
During the search for Gold, Rodarte joined her friends and family in handing out missing person flyers and even told them that he was worried, her family told News 4 Jax.
Gold was missing for three days before Rodarte admitted, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said. According to authorities, he admitted to killing Gold and then disposing of her body in a local lake; members of the JSO Dive Team had to be called in to retrieve her remains.
When Gold’s body was found, officials could not discover a cause of death, but it was clear that she had been burned and that her death had been a “violent homicide,” according to a News 4 Jax report. During the trial, Rodarte claimed that he was trying to defend himself from Gold when he grabbed her neck and heard a “pop,” but prosecutors argued against that claim.
Gold family presence during the proceeding
Gold’s parents were watching the proceedings on March 11, including the prosecutor’s recounting of the details of the case.
Calling 21-year-old Savannah Gold “my sweet baby, my heart,” her mother read her victim’s impact letter at March 11’s sentencing hearing for Lee Rodarte Jr.
Rodarte, her 32-year-old co-worker with whom she had been in a relationship, sat head down most of the time in Duval County Circuit Court Judge Jeb Branham’s courtroom.
“She had a full life ahead of her, full of opportunity, and she did not get to experience the most beautiful parts,” Sharon Gold said. “… Savannah was an absolute shining light in our lives.“
Wearing a butterfly on his lapel in honor of his daughter, as did his wife, Daniel Gold said this crime has caused him to question every decision he made since moving his family to Florida.
“If Savannah never had a chance to meet Lee Rodarte, would she still be alive,” her father said. “… Why wasn’t I striving to teach her self-defense? Why didn’t I strive to teach her to use and carry a gun?“
“As I watched the video of Savannah struggling for her life, Lee’s car violently shaking back and forth, I saw her lion heart and glowing colors for the last time,” Daniel Gold said in court.
Today, justice arrived for Gold’s family.
“To our family, extended family and community, our hearts have begun to heal because of your love and support,” said Dan Gold after the sentencing hearing. “We love Savannah, and we never realized how many of you did also.” Following March 11’s sentencing, Gold’s family thanked the community for their support, Action News Jax reports.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7t7XZmpqaZpOkunC4xJ5kq6eUlr%2B1sYylmK2do6l8