Death Penalty Sought For Florida Church Musician Accused Of Murdering Wife, Two Kids

The state of Florida will seek out the death penalty for a church musician who allegedly murdered his wife and two adult children in December.

In a Jan. 26 filing, the state wrote that they intend to seek out death for William Broyles, 57, citing the fact he allegedly murdered his family “in a cold, calculated, and premeditated manner without any pretense of moral or legal justification,” CBS 47 reports. Broyles’ charges were upgraded mid-January to three counts of first-degree murder; he was previously charged with second-degree murder.

Broyles allegedly called 911 on Dec. 1 to report that he killed his wife Candace Lynn Broyles, 57, as well as their 27-year-old daughter, Cora Lynn and their 28-year-old son Aaron.

When law enforcement arrived at their home, located just outside of Callahan, Broyles “was lying down in the driveway of the residence unarmed, waiting on them,” Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said in a December press conference 

Leeper said Broyles shot his wife in the living room before killing his daughter “as she was waking up.”

William Conway Broyles Photo: Nassau County Jail

In the penalty filing, the state infers that Cora may have had autism and was a vulnerable adult, therefore making her death a capital felony, CBS 47 reports.

“He then busted through the door of his son’s bedroom and shot him,” Leeper said. He then allegedly shot his son a second time.

“He told us that he shot each victim multiple times just to make sure they didn’t suffer,” he said.

Leeper said that Broyles told investigators that he was “too scared” to take his own life. A motive behind the murders has yet to be disclosed.

Broyles had served as the director of music ministries for the Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church for 23 years.

He has previously pleaded not guilty and he is being held in the Nassau County Jail on no bond.