A suspect in a 2021 murder case made an unusual offer to a judge in court.
A Florida murder suspect offered to plead guilty and accept a life sentence in exchange for a Philly cheesesteak, according to local reports.
Robert Kessler made the bizarre proposition on October 26, as jury selection began in his trial in Hillsborough County, Florida. The 74-year-old man is representing himself in court and faces charges of first-degree murder and abuse of a dead body.
During the proceedings, Circuit Judge Nick Nazaretian explained that Kessler could enter an open plea, potentially resulting in a life sentence.
The Unusual Offer in Question
Kessler then responded to the judge by saying he would agree to the arrangement for a "Philly cheesesteak, an order of fries, and a Pepsi."
NEW: Blind Florida man who is charged with first-degree murder tells judge he will plead guilty in exchange for a Philly cheesesteak, fries, & a Pepsi.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 27, 2026
Robert Kessler says he'll take life in prison as long as he gets a Philly cheesesteak with onions, mayonnaise, & fries.... pic.twitter.com/y6Ocs9sTa1
The elderly man even specified how he wanted his sandwich prepared, requesting onions, mayonnaise, and a 20-ounce serving of peppers. Kessler reportedly argued that accepting the sentence would save taxpayers money and the court time needed to assemble a jury.
The judge, however, wasn't interested in accepting the offer nor negotiating a criminal plea over a meal. "I can't obviously give food to people to enter a plea," Nazaretian told Kessler. "That would be wrong in a thousand ways. I can guarantee you can have lunch today, but I can't guarantee what it would be."
Kessler subsequently withdrew his offer and asked the court to proceed with jury selection, indicating that he wasn't willing to accept the proposed sentence without getting his requested meal.
The Murder Case Behind the Bizarre Offer
While Kessler's plea offer could be mistaken for a joke, the charges against him are serious. He is accused of murdering 47-year-old Stephanie Crone-Overholt in 2021 while she was staying at his home in Lutz, Florida.
Crone-Overholt's dismembered remains were discovered by fishermen in McKay Bay in November 2021. According to an affidavit viewed by PEOPLE, at least three witnesses told investigators they had seen a man matching Kessler's description throwing trash bags into the water.
Kessler's daughter also reportedly told authorities that she had witnessed an argument between the pair shortly before Crone-Overholt disappeared. The victim had allegedly asked Kessler for $200 so she could leave. Kessler's trial resumed on October 27.