A tragic incident in Florida has brought to light a deeply concerning case of domestic violence and judicial decision-making. James Lindsey, 42, allegedly broke into the home of his estranged wife, 40-year-old Kristen Stevens, on the night of December 6, 2024, and attacked her with a knife. He reportedly stabbed her up to 70 times while she slept. This horrific crime occurred a little over a month after Lindsey had been arrested for domestic violence, yet a judge had declined to impose an ankle monitor on him, which could have potentially prevented the attack.
Lindsey’s arrest occurred on November 6, after an alleged altercation at Stevens’ home, where he was accused of battering her. The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Attorney’s Office of the 18th Judicial Circuit, had requested that Lindsey be placed on GPS monitoring as a condition of his release, given the history of domestic violence between him and Stevens. However, Seminole County Circuit Court Judge Wayne Culver denied the request, opting instead to order Lindsey not to contact his estranged wife. This decision, which failed to enforce adequate protection, has come under scrutiny following the tragic events.
On the night of the stabbing, deputies responded to a call around 1 a.m., finding Stevens’ body in her home. Another man, who has not been publicly identified, was also injured in the attack but managed to flee to a neighbor’s house to call 911. A 16-year-old boy was present in the home during the incident but was unharmed. According to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, Lindsey broke into the home, attacked Stevens, and stabbed the unidentified man when he attempted to intervene. The surviving victim told authorities that he found Lindsey on top of Stevens in the bedroom, stabbing her. The attacker fled the scene, but approximately four hours later, Lindsey died in a car crash.
Authorities estimate that Stevens was stabbed between 20 and 70 times. The sheriff’s office confirmed that both Lindsey and Stevens had a history of domestic violence. Stevens had previously reported an incident where Lindsey kicked her off the bed, and when she attempted to leave, he shoved her into a door, causing a small bruise. Despite the clear signs of escalating violence, Judge Culver did not take stronger preventive measures, which now raises questions about the adequacy of judicial decisions in protecting victims of domestic abuse.
In a twist of fate, Judge Culver, who had made the decision not to monitor Lindsey, was recently suspended from the bench. The Florida Supreme Court had suspended Culver for 60 days without pay and issued a public reprimand for engaging in abusive and unprofessional conduct during two separate court proceedings. These incidents occurred in 2022 and were unrelated to the Lindsey case but involved inappropriate language and behavior, including using profanities and threatening defendants with jail time. The disciplinary panel found Culver’s behavior shocking and recommended that he undergo anger management and stress treatment. Despite the recommendation for continued treatment, the panel acknowledged that Culver had been dealing with personal difficulties at the time, including caring for his elderly father.
This tragic event, combined with the suspension of Judge Culver, highlights serious issues within the judicial system’s handling of domestic violence cases. Critics argue that the failure to impose GPS monitoring on Lindsey—despite requests from law enforcement—allowed the situation to escalate and ultimately resulted in Stevens’ brutal death. Advocates for domestic violence victims stress the importance of preventative measures, such as monitoring, to protect those who are at risk. In this case, the failure to act in time has left a family grieving and a community shaken.
As authorities continue to investigate the events surrounding the attack, they are also working to uncover further details about the relationship between Lindsey and Stevens, hoping to prevent similar tragedies in the future. The community is left to grapple with the devastating consequences of a decision that failed to safeguard a vulnerable woman from her abusive partner.
