Robert Kessler, 74, approached Hillsborough Circuit Judge Nick Nazaretian on October 27, 2026, and declared he would plead guilty if granted a Philly cheesesteak, fries, and a Pepsi in exchange for a life‑sentence deal.
Kessler faces first‑degree murder and abuse‑of‑corpse charges for the 2021 killing of 47‑year‑old Stephanie Crone‑Overholt, whose dismembered remains were found by fishermen in McKay Bay. Witnesses describe a tense argument between Kessler and Crone‑Overholt two days before her disappearance.
The judge, unimpressed by the culinary bargain, reminded Kessler that no food could be exchanged for a plea and ordered the trial to move forward to jury selection.
A small voice in the courtroom—Kessler’s eight‑year‑old daughter, who was present at the time of the alleged crime—saw her father’s eyes flicker with both fear and defiance as the judge’s gavel marked the end of the plea proposal.
With the judge’s disapproval, the case will resume in the courtroom, and the jury selection process will begin tomorrow, setting the stage for the trial’s next phase.