JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Editor's Note: The video above is from a previous report.
Ten years ago today, Cherish Perrywinkle was abducted from a Jacksonville Walmart, raped and murdered by Donald James Smith.
Smith was a lifelong sexual offender with a history of horrendous crimes against children.
Eight-year-old Cherish was reported missing by her mother from the Walmart on Lem Turner Road on June 21, 2013. The little girl was found dead 11 hours later.
Cherish's mom, Rayne read a statement to First Coast News. Part of it included her memories of her daughter:
"Some memories I have of my 8-year-old daughter are still vivid. Her shining dark hair, her amazing smile, her interests in drawing, singing, playing with lego blocks."
Smith, 66, was convicted of killing Perrywinkle and sentenced to death. He chose to not call a single witness to refute the charges against him, and a jury found him guilty after just 12 minutes of deliberation.
Attorneys for Smith have recently filed an appeal of his conviction. A filing in the case lists 12 reasons he deserves a new trial, including an allegedly biased juror and inappropriate arguments by prosecutors.
"Donald Smith knew Florida to be a death penalty state and still carried out his darkest fantasies, slipping through the cracks too many times, laughing in the eyes of the law," Rayne previously said.
"I applaud all of the jurors and what they had to endure while contemplating the fate of Donald Smith. There was nothing biased in the finality of their decision to see that Donald Smith be put to death. Let the punishment fit the crime."