American Man of Florida Sentenced to Death for Torturing and Murdering Two Gay Men

In 2003, Steven Lorenzo lured Jason Galenhouse and Michael Wachholtz in a house in Tampa, FA where he tortured, murdered and dismembered them

By Edward Era Barbacena

In 2003, two gay men Jason Galenhouse and Michael Wachholtz were lured to a home in Tampa, Florida, where they were tortured and killed. On Wednesday, justice was finally served as Steven Lorenzo, who admitted to the crimes, was sentenced to death. Judge Christopher Sabella delivered the sentence after Lorenzo pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and requested the death penalty.

Lorenzo committed the heinous crimes alongside Scott Schweickert, who pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in 2016. During testimony, Schweickert detailed the horrific murders, saying that he and Lorenzo had planned to lure unsuspecting gay men from a local bar and kill them. After killing one of the victims, the pair dismembered the body and stuffed it into construction bags, which were taken to random locations in Tampa. The remains of one victim have yet to be found at the time of reporting.

The actions of Lorenzo and Schweickert were described by Hillsborough state attorney Susan Lopez as the “very definition of cold, calculated, and premeditated.” The victims’ families, who have waited for nearly two decades for justice, were relieved at the verdict. Jason Galehouse’s mother, Pam Williams, called Lorenzo “the scumbag of the Earth” and berated him for feeling “no remorse” for his crimes. Ruth Wachholtz, Michael’s mother, agreed that the death penalty was appropriate, saying, “What he did to my son before murdering him should be done to him, eye for an eye.”

The case highlights the importance of prosecuting hate crimes and ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable for their actions. The sentencing of Steven Lorenzo for the torture and murder of two gay men sends a clear message that hate crimes will not be tolerated and that justice will be served.