TAMPA, Fla. — Jury selection starts Monday in the trial of a Riverview man accused of killing his girlfriend and daughter.
Ronnie O'Neal is accused of killing Kenyatta Baron, their 9-year-old daughter and attempting to kill their 8-year-old son, who survived the March 18, 2018 attack that happened in the family’s Riverview home.
What You Need To Know
- Double murder trial of Ronnie O'Neal starts Monday in Tampa
- O'Neal accused of killing girlfriend, their daughter and attempting to kill their son before setting their Riverview home on fire in 2018
- O'Neal to represent himself during trial; his son is set to testify
Baron was 33 years old.
For the past three years, O'Neal has had several public defenders. He plans to represent himself during the trial.
His son, now 11, is expected to testify in the case. The boy is expected to be a key witness in the case after police said he was in the home when his father attacked him, his mother and sister and then set the home on fire.
The boy managed to escape with stab wounds and burns.
O'Neal, 32, pleaded not guilty last year.
The State Attorney’s Office said it would seek the death penalty in this case.