10/21/2026
Highlands County Jury Finds Tamario Sanders Guilty of First-Degree Murder
Tamario Sanders, 39, was found guilty by a Highlands County jury of first-degree murder, burglary with assault, burglary of a dwelling, tampering with physical evidence, and petit theft.
On August 31st, 2023, Highlands County deputies responded to the victim's home located in Sebring after receiving a report that she had failed to pick her children up from school. Upon arrival deputies discovered the victim deceased inside her home with five stab wounds to her neck.
During the investigation, detectives observed Sanders stealing a neighbor's Ring camera while wearing a tank top, shorts, and Nike slides. Detectives later identified matching Nike slide sole impressions in the blood surrounding the victim’s body, with an imprint from one of the slides visible on the victim’s leg. Detectives later located the slides in Sanders' room, and his clothes were partially burned in his barbecue in the backyard. Detectives also recovered the murder weapon wrapped in a paper towel concealed between the cushions of Sanders' couch. When questioned about scratch marks on his neck, Sanders changed his story multiple times.
Sanders will be sentenced to life in prison on November 3rd. State Attorney Brian Haas thanks Assistant State Attorney John Kromholz and the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office.
