On Monday, July 7, 2024, a Florida judge sentenced 33-year-old Ryan Cole to death for the 2019 murder of 15-year-old Khyler Edman, who was killed while protecting his little sister during a home invasion.
The ruling followed a jury’s 10-2 recommendation for the death penalty after Cole was convicted of first-degree murder and burglary earlier this year.
"He had this coming. There's a special place in hell for individuals like this, and he's getting what he deserves," said Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell
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| Khyler Edman |
On September 26, 2019, Khyler was home alone with his 5-year-old sister while their mother was at work.
Ryan Cole, who was high on heroin and methamphetamine, broke into their Port Charlotte home, believing he’d find drugs or money inside.
When Cole entered the kitchen, he met Khyler who quickly grabbed a kitchen knife to defend himself and his sister.
Security footage captured the terrifying moment that followed in a short six-second clip.
Instead of leaving the house when he realized someone was inside, Cole stabbed Khyler four times in the chest and stomach, as reported by Law&Crime.
Khyler collapsed and died on the floor, while his younger sister hid under the bed and was not harmed.
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| Ryan Cole |
Deputies from the local police department later found Cole close to the crime scene.
He was shirtless, covered in blood, and still holding the knife used in the attack.
Cole claimed he didn’t remember what happened, but the bloody evidence on his hands and the security footage told a different story.
According to Law&Crime, prosecutors described the crime as “heinous, wicked, and shockingly evil,” saying it was serious enough to deserve the death penalty.
They pointed out that instead of running away after realizing someone was home, Cole taunted Khyler before attacking him.
Khyler’s family and community have been devastated by his loss. At a candlelight vigil, loved ones remembered him as a hero.
"When he protected his sister, he became a man that day. Not a lot of people would do that, said a Vigil attendee (via NBC 2)
His aunt, Christina Halston, told WINK News: "Our family is broken. Grief is constant, heavy, and unrelenting... Khyler mattered. He still matters."
A GoFundMe which set up for the family surpassed its goal, raising over $30,000—a sign of just how deeply Khyler’s story moved people.
During the trial, Cole’s defense team asked the court to consider manslaughter instead of murder, saying that spending the rest of his life in prison was already a severe punishment.
Life without parole is not freedom... It is a slow death, carried out over decades in a concrete cell," his lawyer said.
But Judge Lisa Porter disagreed with the defense and sided with the prosecutors’ request for the death penalty.
She eventually sentenced Cole to death under Florida’s revised law, which allows capital punishment if at least eight jurors vote in favor.
While the sentencing brings some closure, Khyler’s family will forever feel his absence.
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