A Florida man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing his gay rights activist roommate and dumping his body in a landfill.
Steven Yinger, 38, was convicted of the murder of Jorge Diaz-Johnston, 54, by a jury at the Leon County Courthouse on Friday after four hours of deliberation.
He strangled his roommate in January 2022 before treating him “like a piece of trash” and throwing him in the trash. Diaz-Johnston was unknowingly picked up by waste crews and taken to a landfill in Baker, where he was discovered.
Yinger then stole the victim's BMW, sold his cell phone for a few hundred dollars and went shopping with his credit card.
Diaz-Johnston, who had filed a lawsuit to end Florida's ban on same-sex marriage to marry his husband, had allowed Yinger to move into his apartment in October 2021, shortly after he was released from prison.
Steven Yinger, 38, has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering his gay rights activist roommate and dumping his body in a landfill
He was convicted Friday after four hours of deliberation by a jury at the Leon County Courthouse of the murder of Jorge Diaz-Johnston, 54, (photo)
Yinger strangled his roommate to death in January 2022 before treating him “like a piece of trash” and throwing him in the trash. Diaz-Johnston was unknowingly picked up by waste crews and taken to a landfill in Baker, where he was discovered
Yinger was found guilty of first-degree murder, grand larceny, theft of a motor vehicle, tampering with physical evidence and criminal use of personal identifying information.
Judge Tiffany Baker-Carper then immediately sentenced him to life in prison.
Diaz-Johnston, the brother of former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, ordered Yinger to move out on Jan. 3, 2022, after he allowed a meth addict to stay in the apartment and items went missing.
Yinger then strangled him to death and threw his body in the trash outside before driving it away.
His body was collected by a garbage crew and discovered in a landfill.
Assistant State's Attorney Adrian Mood told jurors that Diaz-Johnston was treated “like trash” and showed the court that Yinger pushed him into it.
After Diaz-Johnston's murder, Yinger used the victim's bank cards to withdraw money and buy clothes, food and beer.
Among his purchases included a $45 Chicago Bulls hat, which he wore during a lengthy interview with police.
Yinger also stole Diaz-Johnston's blue BMW car, phone and his 4K television.
Diaz-Johnston's husband was among family and friends who attended the three-day trial and read the victims' impact statements.
Yinger stole the victim's BMW, sold his cell phone for a few hundred dollars and went shopping with his credit card
Diaz-Johnston, pictured with his husband Don Diaz-Johnston, ordered Yinger to move out on January 3, 2022, after he allowed a meth addict to stay in the apartment and items went missing
Yinger then strangled him to death and threw his body in the trash outside before driving it away
“What Jorge did was genuine Christian love and tried to give this man an advantage and an opportunity,” Don Diaz-Johnston told the Tallahassee Democrat.
“And Jorge knew that that level of kindness and generosity can thaw the coldest of hearts. But the truth is, it can't change the blackest of hearts.”
He received a call from a woman at Diaz-Johnston's office on January 7 to say he had not shown up for work in several days, so he reported him missing.
Their friend Rahim Dantzler went to Diaz-Johnston's apartment that evening to check on him and Yinger had answered the door.
“I just have a bad feeling,” Dantzler told jurors. '(Yinger) kept asking, 'Why are you looking at me like that? I didn't do anything to Jorge.'
A detective confirmed that Diaz-Johnston's phone was used to send an email to his workplace saying he would not be present.
But the wording was “uncharacteristic of him” and warned police of “truly suspicious activity.”
Don received a call from a woman at Diaz-Johnston's office on January 7, 2022, to say he had not shown up for work in several days and reported him missing.
Diaz-Johnston and his husband Don were one of six gay couples who sued the Miami-Dade clerk of court in 2014 over the right to marry
'I am so angry. After all these years of trying to get my husband back, only to have him ripped away from me for such a completely senseless reason,” Don told CNN affiliate WPLG last year.
He added that Diaz-Johnston knew Yinger from an alcohol recovery program and took him along at a time when the couple was separated.
“Jorge didn't charge him rent, never had expectations, until he could get a job and make a living, and that's who Jorge was,” Don added.
Yinger has multiple arrests and convictions in Florida and Alabama for burglary, grand theft and drugs.
He was in and out of the Leon County Jail more than a dozen times and served three stints in state prison.
Diaz-Johnston and his husband Don were one of six gay couples who sued the Miami-Dade clerk of court in 2014 over the right to marry.
They were among the first to marry the following year.