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Bobby Kent's 1993 killing exposed a perfectly planned murder plot that was executed by seven people, some near and dear to him, during the late night hours of July 14 that year. The circumstances under which the 20-year-old bodybuilder was murdered brought to light some vicious details that had been kept at bay until then.
However, one thing that stuck with the once peaceful community of Hollywood, Florida, was that Kent's murder plot involved his childhood best friend, Martin "Marty" Puccio (20) and the best friend's then-girlfriend, Lisa Connelly (18) right at the center of it. It was only a matter of time before the youngsters started panicking and coming clean about their actions in hopes of securing plea deals.
The revelations made during the case were both shocking and saddening for those directly or indirectly involved in the murder case. To this day, three men, including Marty, are still serving life sentences in prison, while the remaining four were released after serving their respective sentences.
Read further to learn more unnerving details about Bobby Kent's decades-old murder.
Five disturbing, lesser-know facts about Bobby Kent's 1993 murder case
1) Bobby Kent was lured by his ex-girlfriend to the murder location
Bobby Kent's ex-girlfriend Alice "Ali" Willis was the one to lure him out to the secluded spot where he was attacked by her then-boyfriend Donald Semenec, Marty Puccio, and "hit man" Derek Kaufman. Ali had previously met Bobby through Lisa Connelly, who had hoped to keep the bully out of her and Marty's way.
But the 17-year-old soon broke it off with Kent because of his abusive behavior. She claimed that he would hit her and engage in "impulsive and bizarre" s*exual behavior. According to reports, Willis even claimed that he r*ped her. She was later convicted of second-degree murder and served prison time until 2001
2) Lisa's cousin, Derek Dzvirko, also participated in the killing
Derek Dzvirko, Lisa Connelly's cousin, was the first person to testify against the remaining six and even led the authorities to Bobby Kent's dead body, which was found on the shore of a lake near Weston, Florida. In exchange for his testimony, he was offered a plea deal that allowed him to serve a light sentence of six years in a minimum security prison.
As per reports, Dzvirko was the man to carry Kent's body to the shore and leave it there in the hopes that the alligators would consume it, leaving no trace behind. He reportedly commented on the incident, saying,
"Honestly and truthfully, I've made peace with this a long time ago. I don't have bad dreams about it, I don't think about it, I don't dwell on it, I don't ponder it. I've moved on."
The single father-of-one added,
"I'm trying to provide the best life possible for my kid."
3) Bobby Kent and Marty Puccio shared a dysfunctional friendship
Kent and Puccio had been friends since third grade and lived in the same locality/block in Hollywood in Broward County, Florida. One thing that remained consistent with their bond was the former's abusive misbehavior towards Marty, which continued into their teenage years until the day Bobby took his last breath.
The two so-called best friends reportedly got into bodybuilding as teens and even attempted filmmaking, trying to make and sell homosexual p*rn movies but with no luck. Marty's parents were reportedly aware of Bobby's cruel behavior towards him and even recalled their young son returning home bleeding and with bruises. They were certain about the bullying and even pushed him to cut off ties with Kent.
Puccio stated that he began to live in constant fear of Bobby. He said that Kent would assault him consistently over the simplest of issues and once even let loose his Doberman on him. He even mentioned an instance where the bully threatened him with a lead pipe when he expressed his desire to put an end to their friendship.
4) Marty's then-girlfriend Lisa Connelly was allegedly the brains behind the plot
Lisa and Martin, who started dating during the initial months of 1993, were fed up with Bobby always intruding in their relationship. That's when the 18-year-old set him up with her friend, Alice Willis. However, their short-term relationship ended soon after. About a month before the murder, Puccio confided in his girlfriend about Kent's abusive behavior not long before she learned of her pregnancy.
While nothing seemed to be working in their favor, Connelly came up with the idea of killing Bobby Kent and convinced herself, along with the others, that it was the only way to eliminate the bully and get rid of him once and for all. She even contacted Derek Kaufman, the alleged "hit man," to assist in the murder.
5) Kent's parents were satisfied with the sentencing, but sister wasn't
As stated previously, four out of the seven killers have been released in the years that followed after the sentencing, while three are still serving their respective life sentences. As per the reports, Farah and Fred Kent, Bobby Kent's parents, thought that justice was already accomplished at the time of the sentencings. His sister, Laila Kent, however criticized the decision to release the four individuals.
She reportedly stated,
"It disgusts me that they have freedom after killing someone. They’re horrible people and they should be ashamed of what they did. They don’t even deserve to be alive."
Watch People Magazine Presents: Crimes of the '90s on Investigation Discovery this Thursday, August 4, to follow Bobby Kent's decades-old murder case. The official synopsis of the upcoming episode titled Murder Pact states:
"In 1993, investigators find the body of a young Florida man in the Everglades; when homicide investigators question his group of friends, they uncover a sordid world of s*x, prostitution, and bullying."
The episode will air at 8:00 pm ET.
