Brandon Hitteman Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder in 2002 Strangulation Case
Brandon Hitteman, 49, was found guilty of first-degree murder on Thursday for the 2002 strangulation death of his girlfriend, Pamela Berkebile, in St. Petersburg. He has been in and out of mental health facilities for decades, with his trial stalled…
Tampa St. Petersburg, FL, August 20, 2026 — A jury found Brandon Hitteman, 49, guilty of first-degree murder on Thursday in connection with the 2002 strangulation death of his girlfriend, Pamela Berkebile. The incident occurred in St. Petersburg.
Hitteman’s legal proceedings have been marked by significant delays, largely due to ongoing competency issues that have led to him being in and out of mental health facilities for decades. These challenges had previously stalled his trial.
During the proceedings, the defense presented arguments for an insanity plea. However, the court did not permit the jury to consider Hitteman’s mental state as part of their deliberation. The jury ultimately returned a guilty verdict on the first-degree murder charge.
Following the conviction, Hitteman received a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Story summarized from the original created by By Alexa Coultoff, Times staff on www.tampabay.com, see more information here.
