Attorney General Liz Murrill announced today that the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the State of Louisiana in the Todd Wessinger case.

Todd Wessinger was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of restaurant manager Stephanie Guzzardo and cook David Breakwell during a robbery of Calendar’s Restaurant in Baton Rouge on November 19, 1995. Wessinger was a former employee of the restaurant. He shot his former co-workers as they begged for their lives, then fled the restaurant with about $7,000.

Wessinger had asked the federal courts to overturn his death sentence based on a claim involving his trial counsel. The Fifth Circuit ruled that the claim he raised had already been presented to and decided by the state courts. The court found that presenting the same claim with additional evidence did not make it a new claim that could be used to obtain federal relief. The Fifth Circuit therefore reversed the lower court’s decision granting Wessinger relief and ordered the lower court to enter final judgment denying his petition.

“Today is a huge victory for justice and for the Guzzardo family, who have waited decades to see justice for their daughter, Stephanie. I promised Wayne and Carolyn Guzzardo that I would never stop fighting for them, and today we are one step closer to keeping that promise. We will ensure justice is finally done for Stephanie Guzzardo and David Breakwell,” said Attorney General Liz Murrill.

Attorney General Murrill has been in constant contact with the Guzzardo family for years and has repeatedly advocated for justice for the family, who have endured decades of appeals and legal proceedings following Stephanie’s murder and have repeatedly advocated for justice for murder victims and their families at the Louisiana State Capitol.

Assistant Solicitor General Elizabeth Brown argued the case before the Fifth Circuit on behalf of the State.

The Louisiana Department of Justice is continuing to assess the next steps.

Read the ruling here.

Stephanie Guzzardo (pictured above)

Todd Wessinger (pictured above)