In January 2023, Florida released the man a jury convicted of Karen Muscovitz's murder, with no court-ordered conditions.
The state knew first. The victims found out last.
DCF notified eleven people and agencies before his release. None of them were the victims. Karen's family and J. Dunn, the survivor he held hostage for 36 hours, found out about a year later, by calling to ask.
J. Dunn, the survivor he held hostage, was never told about key court dates, including his sentencing, and was never given the chance to give a victim impact statement. He learned the outcome from the newspaper.
A jury convicted Travis Edwards in 2009, and in 2010 he was sentenced to two life terms. An appeals court overturned the conviction in 2012, and he was found mentally incompetent to proceed. The charges were dismissed in 2018. He was never retried.
The 2018 court order that dismissed the charges never mentions the victims. Neither does DCF's 2022 discharge notice.
The fix
CONDITIONS +NOTICE
Today, when a judge releases a defendant found incompetent to proceed (mentally unable to stand trial), Florida Statute §916.17 requires conditions based on a release plan, but it does not require medication compliance and requires no notice to victims. For defendants charged with a violent felony, Karen's Law does four things:
Minimum release conditions. Every release must include medication and treatment compliance, DCF supervision, and reports to the court.
30-day written victim notice. Victims or next of kin are told in writing at least 30 days before release.
Enforceable under Marsy's Law. If notice isn't given, victims can enforce it in court.
Supervision stays with DCF. No new agency.
It doesn't punish mental illness. It makes sure there's a plan that protects everyone, including the person released, and a warning to the people who need it.
What Karen's Law does, in under a minute · silent
Documented Florida failures
IT'S NOT JUST KAREN
Manatee County · 2023
Thomas Matejcek was charged with burglary with battery after an attack on his mother and her boyfriend, Sean Harrison. He was found incompetent to proceed and released to a group home. He left within hours of arriving, and the court appears to have taken no action until after the killings.
On November 10, 2023, he killed them both. His family says they were never told he had been released.
What Karen's Law would change: the people he was charged with attacking would get written notice at least 30 days before his release.
Two releases. Two families who say no one warned them.
Two public documents, who they were sent to, and the law that already promises victims notice.
The records
What the court order and DCF's notice say
The May 25, 2018 order told the hospital to notify the State Attorney at least 30 days before release. DCF's December 9, 2022 notice was addressed to the State Attorney's Office and copied to ten people and agencies. None of them were the victims. Read the order · Read the letter
The law already on the books
Florida already promises victims notice
Marsy's Law, Article I, §16(b)(6)a of the Florida Constitution, gives victims the right, on request, to reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of any release of the defendant. Florida Statute §960.001 requires jails to try to notify victims within 4 hours of a release. For a release from a forensic hospital, it sets no deadline and names no one responsible. Karen's family and J. Dunn say their rights under these laws were violated. They were never told. Read Art. I, §16 · Read §960.001
The court order and the DCF letter are public court records. The full page has the 43-minute investigation, and the Brief has the short version for legislators and press.
