MOTEL OPERATORS RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURITY IN MURDER OF GUEST

 

Martha Hildreth, as Personal Representative of the Estate of John L. Lund, deceased vs. Scott Bearden, Alma M. Hilgeford and Dwight Hilgeford d/b/a Bona Vista Motel, William Gemmill, Trustee, Alice Hilgeford and Thomas Hilgeford
20th Circuit, Lee County, Florida

 

While sound asleep in his motel room in Ft. Myers Beach, Florida attorney John Lund was repeatedly struck on the head with a shovel until he died. The assailant then hid John’s body in the trunk of a car and drove to the mountains of West Virginia where the body was buried in the woods.  The assailant, who turned out to be the teenage son of the couple that operated the motel, was later arrested, tried and convicted. He is now serving life in prison. On behalf of John’s estate we filed suit.

 

Discovery revealed that the assailant gained access to John’s room by sneaking into his parent’s apartment in the middle of the night and stealing the master key.  It was our contention that, as operators of the motel, the assailant’s parents were negligent by failing to ensure that the master key was secure and kept away from any unauthorized use. These sample door knobs and locks were used during the trial to show the jury the type of locking mechanism that was in use at the motel. After a four-day trial, the jury agreed with our position and returned a verdict for our client.