Seminole County Man Sentenced to Death in Pregnant Girlfriend Killing

A Seminole County judge imposed a death sentence on December 8, 2025 after Donovan Faison was convicted of first degree murder and killing an unborn child in the November 2022 slaying of 18 year old Kaylin Fiengo. Fiengo was found shot in her car at Coastline Park in Sanford. Prosecutors presented evidence that Faison killed Fiengo because she refused to terminate her pregnancy.

The conviction followed roughly two hours of jury deliberation in October when jurors found Faison guilty of both charges. The trial moved quickly into a penalty phase days later, and that phase ended with the jury recommending the death penalty by an 11 to 1 vote. Under state law at issue in this case, at least eight of 12 jurors must vote in favor of the death penalty after finding at least one aggravating factor.

Family members of both the victim and the defendant testified during the penalty stage, with Fiengo's relatives speaking to the harm done and Faison's family asking the court to impose a life sentence rather than death. The judge followed the jury recommendation and entered the capital sentence on Friday.

The case carries immediate local implications. It resolves a high profile homicide that shook the Sanford community and raises policy questions about violence directed at pregnant people and the role of motive tied to reproductive decisions in criminal prosecutions. The sentencing outcome also underscores how Florida law allocates weight to jury recommendations in capital cases, and how community members and victims families participate in the process through testimony.

For Seminole County residents the verdict and sentence reinforce the functioning of the criminal justice system in a serious murder prosecution, while also prompting discussion about prevention, support for survivors and bereaved families, and the resources devoted to domestic violence response. The case may influence how local policymakers, law enforcement, and community groups approach outreach and services to reduce intimate partner violence and to support people facing coercion related to reproductive decisions.

As the county moves forward, officials and civic leaders will face scrutiny over public safety measures and victim support practices, and the community will continue to watch how the sentencing is implemented and how related policy discussions develop.