Lolita Barthel

Case record: Lolita Barthel

Background

Lolita Barthel was a few weeks from turning 18 when she shot and killed Temple Terrace floral supply salesman Richard Menendez, 64, in August 1995, during a robbery as the victim begged for his life.

At the time of her arrest, Barthel was 17. She reached prison at 19. By the time she was interviewed, she was 23.

Barthel’s mother was Loretha Barthel.

The offence

In August 1995, Lolita Barthel shot and killed Richard Menendez, 64, during a robbery. The victim begged for his life.

Investigation

On the second day of her senior year at Tampa Bay Tech, Lolita Barthel was arrested in the principal's office.

The police said that she and two friends forced their way into the home of Richard Menendez, a 64-year-old traveling salesman. The account given by one friend—who was described as having been given a deal for her testimony—said they had robbed other elderly people without incident. The account also said that Menendez went for the gun, which Barthel held.

Barthel quoted: "Don't nobody put their hands on me. I'm going to smoke you."

Barthel denied that she made this statement.

Arrest

Trial

Barthel was convicted of robbery and murder.

Barthel stated that her mind was "such a mix of fog and fear that she doesn't even remember the judge telling her she would never get out of prison."

She said she did not really grasp her sentence until she entered Jefferson Correctional Institution near Tallahassee and looked around.

An older inmate asked what she was looking at. Barthel told her: "Don't take it personal, ma'am, I just can't believe it."

Sentencing

Barthel was sentenced to life in prison on December 19, 1996.

Appeals

Barthel said she did not really grasp her sentence until she entered Jefferson Correctional Institution near Tallahassee and looked around.

Outcome

Barthel was convicted of robbery and murder and received a life prison sentence.

Aftermath

Barthel described coping by saying:

"How do you cope? To me, I don't cope. You know how you can have an issue, but put it like in the back of your mind, or you block it out and you try to believe something totally different? That's what I do. That's what keeps my sanity."

Barthel said that she was still in shock and that after all these years, she still did not believe it.

Loretha Barthel and Barthel continued to pray for a miracle.

At home in Tampa, Barthel would buy her mother a watch every Christmas. In prison near Miami, Barthel combed magazines at Christmastime until she found a picture of a watch, clipped it out, and mailed it home.

In 1999, her mother made a rare visit and they shared a prison Christmas. Dinner came from the canteen. One of Loretha Barthel’s presents was an unopened pack of cigarettes. Mother and daughter posed for a photo in front of a Christmas tree. Barthel, dressed in prison blues, handed her mother an empty box that was wrapped to look like a present.

In connection with the time of sentencing, Barthel said:

"The older people walking around with canes and stuff. They been locked up since they were 16 and now they're near 70. That's when it really hits you. Then you be like, well, that's me."

Barthel reached prison at 19 and was 23 at the time of the later interview described in the case narrative.

Other details

The case narrative included a headline: "When life means life" and attribution to Curtis Krueger of St. Petersburg Times, dated June 3, 2001.