TERENCE/TARENCE VALENTINE | Convicted of the gruesome 1988 killing of Ferdinand Porsche (“trussed him like an animal”) and the attempted murder of Valentine’s ex-wife | Sentenced to Death | Lot of 2 Autographed Letters/ Envelopes Signed | SEALED

Terence Valentine. Lot of 2 ALS. Pmks: September 24, 2015 (1.5 oz) and October 23, 2015 (6 x 4.75 in). SEALED. Content unknown. Pristine.

• Classification: Murderer

• Characteristics: Revenge - Kidnapping - Torture

• Number of victims: 1

• Date of murder: September 9, 1988

• Date of birth: January 21, 1949

• Victim profile: Ferdinand Porche (the husband of his ex-wife)

• Method of murder: Shooting

• Location: Hillsborough County, Florida, USA

• Status: Sentenced to death April 12, 1990

Summary

Terance Valentine and his wife Livia Romero immigrated to the United States in 1975. The couple settled in New Orleans and adopted a child, Giovanna. After seeking a divorce from Valentine in 1986, Romero married Ferdinand Porche. Romero then relocated with her daughter and new husband to Tampa, Florida. Shortly after the move, Romero began receiving threatening phone calls from Valentine.

On 09/09/88, Ferdinand Porche returned home to meet his family. When Porche entered the house, Valentine shot him in the back, severing his spinal cord and rendering him paralyzed from the waist down.

Valentine said to Porche, “This is my revenge.” Porche was forced to crawl into the bedroom where he saw his pregnant wife naked, bound and gagged, and his baby crying. Valentine then began to systematically beat and torture Porche, announcing, “I’m gonna kill you, but you’re gonna suffer.”

Valentine then transported Porche and Romero to a remote location and shot them both. Livia Romero survived the attack and informed police that Valentine was the assailant. In the weeks following her release from the hospital, Romero began to receive calls from Valentine. With the help of police recording devices, Romero taped her conversations with Valentine, which subsequently led to his arrest.ⁱ

Murder

Terance Valentine met and married Livia Romero prior to emigrating with her to the United States from their native Costa Rica. In New Orleans, the couple adopted a child, but eventually divorced in 1986. Romero later “married” Ferdinand Porche and moved with him to Tampa to start a family. After learning of the couple's “marriage” and relocation, Valentine began placing telephone threats to the couple's home. In September of 1988, Valentine brutally attacked Romero and Porche in their home, drove the couple to a remote location, and shot them both in the head. The trial court's sentencing order describes Valentine's attack as follows:

On September 9, 1988, Ferdinand Porche returned to his home in mid-afternoon expecting to meet his pregnant wife and small child. Instead he was greeted by a bullet in the back which [severed his spinal cord and] rendered him paralyzed from the waist down. Mr. Porche was then confronted by Mr. Valentine who announced “this is my revenge”. Mr. Porche was forced to crawl into a bedroom where he found his wife nude, bound, and gagged and his baby crying and covered in blood. Mr. Valentine then pistol whipped Mr. Porche. Mr. Porche's face was lacerated, his jaw was broken, and several teeth were knocked out. According to the medical examiner there were at least three separate blows to Mr. Porche's face. After administering this beating Mr. Valentine made his purpose clear, announcing, “I'm gonna kill you, but you're gonna suffer. This is not going to be easy.” Further tortuous acts included stabbing Mr. Porche in the buttocks – the knife stopping only because it struck bone, kicking Mr. Porche in the chest, and dragging him after he was bound hand and foot with [baling] wire. The medical examiner testified that all of the above injuries occurred while Mr. Porche was alive, that none was immediately life threatening, and none would immediately result in a loss of consciousness. Mrs. Porche testified that Mr. Porche told her he was in so much pain that he did not know why he did not lose consciousness. Mrs. Porche testified she could feel him touch her as if to reassure her while they were in the back of the Blazer being transported [to an isolated area].

While the fatal gunshot resulted in near instantaneous loss of consciousness and death, the ordeal leading up to his death was quite lengthy. Mr. Porche was beaten and degraded in his home. Trussed like an animal he was kidnapped and taken on a nine-mile trip to his slaughter. Either due to the gunshot wound to his spine or through the stress of the ordeal Mr. Porche lost control of this bowels and was covered with his own excrement.

Paralyzed and bound hand and foot with wire there was nothing Mr. Porche could do to save himself. Nor was there anything he could do to protect his wife, who he knew was the ultimate object of Mr. Valentine's barbarous intent. Nor could he know what would happen to his ten-month-old daughter or what would become of Mrs. Porche's adopted child. The horror, terror and helplessness that Ferdinand Porche experienced prior to being shot in the eye at point blank range are evident.

Somehow, Romero survived the attack and identified Valentine as her attacker. After being released from the hospital, Romero received another series of threatening phone calls from Valentine, which she recorded with a telephone and recorder supplied by the police. Valentine was later apprehended and was charged with armed burglary, two counts of kidnapping, grand theft, first-degree murder for the death of Porche, and attempted first-degree murder for the shooting of Romero.

Valentine was convicted on all counts, the jury recommended death on the first-degree murder charge by a ten-to-two vote, and the judge imposed a sentence of death, finding three aggravating circumstances and three mitigating circumstance[s].ⁱⁱ

Archiving Protocol:

• Handled with White Gloves ab initio

• Photo Pages/Sheet Protectors: Heavyweight Clear Sheet Protectors, Acid Free & Archival Safe, 8.5 x 11 Inches, Top Load

• White Backing Board – Acid Free

Shipping/Packaging: Rigid Mailer 9.5 x 12.5 inches. White, self seal, stay flat, kraft cardboard, no bend. Each rigid mailer is made of heavy cardboard, which has strong resistance to bending and tearing. Thicker that the USPS mailers. Shipping cost never more than it absolutely has to be to get it from me to you.