- December 15, 2025
After five days of trial, a jury deliberated for approximately 3.5 hours Monday, Dec. 5, before finding 24-year-old Quritus Trelane Lowe II guilty as charged, of first-degree murder (a capital felony), in relation to the death of Myrtle McKinney.
The crime occurred in Putnam County, but the trial was moved to Flagler County as part of a change in venue motion because of the extensive news coverage in Putnam County.
On Christmas Day 2007, the nephew of Myrtle McKinney went to check on his aunt but what he found was a crime scene. The 58-year-old retired school teacher was found bound, gagged, blindfolded and beaten to death in her own apartment.
Myrtle McKinney was last seen by a neighbor three days prior. Because this is a death penalty case, the jury portion of the death penalty hearing will likely be scheduled to take place this Thursday or Friday.
Melissa Watson, Gytonia Cheek and Barbara Mundy were also charged in connection with McKinney’s death; Mundy testified in Lowe’s trial. Cheek is scheduled for trial Jan. 23, and the other co-defendants have yet to be scheduled for trial.
