TITUSVILLE, Fla. – The case of a convicted Titusville triple murderer is back open.
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday threw out the death sentence for 35-year-old Justin Heyne, who was convicted in the 2006 killings of three people.
A jury convicted Heyne in 2009 and a judge sentenced him to death for killing 25-year-old Sarah Buckhoski, her boyfriend and her 5-year-old daughter.
The roommate of Buckhoski's father, who asked to not be identified, told News 6 Friday the father has not been at peace since the murders.
"Every year around this time he gets really depressed," she said, referring to March 30, which marked 11 years since Dave Buckhoski's daughter and granddaughter were killed.
The roommate told News 6 that Buckhoski's depression is worse this year since he heard the news the killer might now live.
"It's just unbelievable that they took this man off of death row," she said. "People have to know, there's a death penalty for a reason. He was proven guilty without a reasonable doubt. The man should already be put to sleep."
But the wait for that may now be even longer.
Jurors voted for a death sentence in 2009 but it was not unanimous. The new state law that has since been enacted states a death penalty sentence now must be unanimously recommended by a jury. That means Heyne will now by re-prosecuted. It's the second Brevard County death penalty sentence in a week that has been retroactively overturned.
“Our first thoughts upon hearing about the Supreme Court’s decision are about the victim’s in this case, especially 5 year-old Ivory,” Titusville police Chief John Lau said. “Now, family and friends of the victims will have to relive this horrific crime that occurred 11 years ago."
Lau added that he was frustrated with the Supreme Court's decision.
"We are greatly disappointed because while the death penalty may be a controversial subject, it was in our law at the time and decided on by a jury,” Lau said.
WATCH: Close family friend of Titusville murder victims is angry about state supreme court throwing out death sentence for killer @news6wkmg pic.twitter.com/zEcIRX8q4N
— James Sparvero (@JamesSparvero) April 7, 2017
Sheriff Wayne Ivey said he was furious when he learned that Brandon Bradley, who was convicted of killing Deputy Barbara Pill in 2012, would also be given a new penalty phase of trial.
"Brandon Bradley is an evil thug who deserves to die," Ivey told reporters in a press conference at the Brevard County Jail.
The Seminole-Brevard State Attorney's Office said it will likely re-seek the death penalty against Bradley.
A spokesperson for the state attorney's office told News 6 on Friday that prosecutors are still determining whether they will do the same for Heyne.