Florida man sentenced to life in prison for brutal stabbing; Body dumped near I-10

A homeless man has been found guilty of brutally stabbing a man to death and dumping his body in the woods next to a highway.

A Leon County jury found Papa-Assane Rue, 30, guilty of first-degree murder, injury to a dead human body, theft of a motor vehicle and tampering with evidence. According to the statement made by the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Background: Homeless man accused of murder and girlfriend arrested after body found at I-10 rest area

In March 2021, Antrae Lennon’s body was found in the woods near a rest area on eastbound Interstate 10 in Leon County. A witness saw Rue climb out of the driver’s side window after the victim’s car crashed into a ditch near where her body was found. as previously reported.

The witness examined the car after Rue fled, and another person searched the woods, where he found Lennon’s body draped over mats in the trunk of the car. “He was covered in dozens of stab wounds,” the news release said.

Background: Body at I-10 rest stop ‘riddled with stab wounds’ leads to arrest of homeless man in Georgia

Detectives found two knives in the vehicle with Rue’s DNA on the handles and Lennon’s DNA on the blades, according to the statement. The witness also found “what appeared to be cleaning supplies” such as bleach in the trunk of the car. as previously reported.

Rue’s girlfriend, 29-year-old Cassandra Hernandez, was also arrested in connection with the case on charges of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. He is still being held in the Leon County Detention Facility awaiting trial.

Hernandez testified at Rue’s one-day jury trial, saying he “confessed to killing the victim and taking her car.”

“He also described how Rue got rid of the victim’s property in Wakulla Beach,” the news release states.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah K. Dugan; Rue was represented by attorney Baya Harrison III. Circuit Judge Stephen Everett presided.

Lennon graduated from Florida State University in 2017 and earned a bachelor’s degree in information technology, FSU officials said.

Breaking news and trend news reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X: @elenabarreraaa.

Related Posts