Venice man convicted of First Degree Premeditated Murder for the brutal slaying of a women in the drive-up teller line at the former BB&T bank in Venice

On October 5, 2020, William Tollard pulled directly behind the victim in the drive-up teller line of the former BB&T bank at Jacaranda and Sklar in Venice, essentially trapping her white Jeep between his truck and a work van directly in front of the teller’s window. The BB&T video surveillance footage showed the following: once positioned behind the victim, Tollard got out of his truck and walked up to the driver’s side of the victim’s Jeep. After a brief conversation, he fired three gunshots at her at close range. He then walked behind her Jeep to her front passenger window and fired two more shoots at her. The victim’s Jeep drifted forward about 100 yards and crashed into a light pole, where it came to a rest. With the gun visible in his hand, Tollard walked back to his truck idling in the teller line and followed after the victim.

He parked next to her Jeep, exited his truck, and fired several more rounds into her front windshield before driving away. During this last volley of gunshots, two eyewitness heard Tollard scream: “Who the *expletive* do you think you are. You can’t *expletive* do this to me.” Tollard was arrested a short distance away at Jacaranda and Sklar Drive. Sarasota County deputies found a semi-automatic firearm, a magazine containing 8 rounds and a pair of binoculars on the front passenger seat of his truck.

During the investigation, Detective Carlos Verdoni learned that Tollard and the victim had a tumultuous on-again, off-again relationship that spanned approximately 18 months prior to this incident. Verdoni’s investigation revealed that the victim broke off the relationship with Tollard five days earlier on September 30th.

The lead prosecutor in the case, Assistant State Attorney Karen Fraivillig commented: “The successful prosecution of this brutal murder was directly attributable to round the clock efforts by Detective Carlos Verdoni and his fellow SCSO detectives in the hours and days following the victim’s death. After downloading the defendant’s phone records, detectives uncovered overwhelming evidence of Tollard’s guilt, including dozens of manipulative text messages to the victim, her estranged husband, and other members of her family. The evidence established Tollard’s determination to seek revenge for being spurned by the victim. This is a case of a man who would not take no for an answer …. a classic and ultimately tragic replaying of “If I can’t have her, no one can.”

Judge Thomas Krug presided over the five-day trial. The defendant was adjudicated guilty immediately following the verdict. A mandatory life sentence will be imposed by Judge Krug in the next several weeks.

If you have any questions or would like further information please contact Assistant State Attorney Karen Fraivillig in the Sarasota County office at 941-861-4400.