The Murder of Tina Strader
On April 20, 2021, Tina Strader, 46, was working her usual shift at the Rodeway Inn in Venice, Florida, when Stephen Havrilka, 30, beat and suffocated her.
Background
Tina Strader and Gerald Strader had been married for 6 years. In December 2019, Tina had got a job at the Rodeway Hotel as the housekeeping manager. She and her husband resided in the hotel.
Murder
Around 10:30am on April 20, 2021, Gerald Strader found his wife, Tina Strader, beaten and suffocated in room 205. The mattress was covered in blood. Tina had obvious signs of trauma to her head and face; there were defensive wounds on her hands. The killer shoved a towel down her throat.
Medics rushed Tina to the hospital where she succumbed to her wounds.
Arrest
Stephen Havrilka was located and arrested about two miles away from the murder scene. According to news outlets, he was half naked and speaking gibberish. Police dogs would later track his watch and t-shirt in a nearby wooden area.
Harvrilka was a guest at the motel, staying in room 209 for 6 days prior to the murder. Security cameras show Harvrilka entering room 205 before and after he killed Tina.
According to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, Harvikla has been arrested 34 times.
Competency
He was charged with second degree murder and held without bond. Since his arrest, Harvrilka has undergone a competency hearing. In March 2022, the court deemed him unfit to stand trial. He will be held in a mental hospital while he undergoes treatment to regain his competency. If and when does, he will be put on trial for the murder of Tina Strader.