Paul Christopher Hildwin, Appellant v. State of Florida, Appellee

Summary

The court reversed the denial of postconviction relief, vacated the first-degree murder conviction and death sentence, and ordered a new trial. It held that newly discovered DNA evidence identifying the victim's boyfriend as the source of biological material previously attributed to evidence consistent with Hildwin materially undermined the State's trial theory and, considered cumulatively with the admissible record, created a reasonable doubt warranting a new trial. Justice Canady, dissenting, would have affirmed because the DNA evidence had little probative value regarding the identity of the murderer and the remaining evidence overwhelmingly supported the conviction.