Florida man gets death penalty for raping, killing girl

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man has been sentenced to death for raping and killing a 9-year-old girl. The Tampa Bay Times reports that 41-year-old Granville Ritchie was sentenced Friday.

He was convicted last year of first-degree murder, sexual battery and aggravated child abuse.

Prosecutors say Ritchie was dating 9-year-old Felecia Williams' neighbor, Eboni Wiley, in May 2014.

Ritchie and Wiley were watching the girl one day and took her to his mother's apartment.

Investigators say Ritchie sexually assaulted and strangled the girl while Wiley went to buy marijuana.

Ritchie then hid the girl's body in a suitcase and later dumped her from a causeway into Tampa Bay.