JUDGE RELEASED Pedophile—Child MURDERED One Month Later

A judges hand holding a gavel over a wooden desk with law books

A Florida judge who released a convicted pedophile on bail—only to see him murder his 5-year-old stepdaughter one month later—now faces impeachment demands from Governor Ron DeSantis and state Republican leaders in a case that epitomizes the dangerous consequences of judicial leniency.

Story Snapshot

Leon County Judge Tiffany Baker-Carper released convicted sex offender Daniel Spencer on bail after his conviction, ignoring prosecutors’ warnings about his dangerousness.
Spencer and his wife were charged with beating 5-year-old Melissa “Missy” Mogle to death approximately one month after his release in May 2025.
Governor DeSantis signed “Missy’s Law” mandating custody for convicted dangerous criminals pending sentencing and publicly demanded the judge’s impeachment on March 31, 2026.
Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature holds the authority to remove Baker-Carper through impeachment proceedings requiring two-thirds votes in both chambers.

Judge’s Decision Defied Prosecutor Warnings

Judge Tiffany Baker-Carper made a fateful choice on April 15, 2025, when she released Daniel Spencer on bail following his conviction for attempting to engage in sexual conduct with a minor. Spencer, 35, had been caught in an underage sex sting attempting to meet a 15-year-old girl. Despite explicit warnings from the State Attorney about Spencer’s danger to the community, Baker-Carper cited his year on bail without violations and lack of violent criminal history as justification for continued release pending sentencing. This decision prioritized procedural considerations over public safety concerns raised by prosecutors who understood the predatory nature of his crimes.

Tragic Murder of Innocent Child

Approximately one month after Baker-Carper’s decision to keep Spencer free, authorities charged both Spencer and his wife Chloe Spencer with second-degree murder in the beating death of Spencer’s 5-year-old stepdaughter, Melissa “Missy” Mogle. The young girl died from injuries sustained in a brutal assault that occurred in May 2025 while Spencer remained at liberty awaiting sentencing on his sex offense conviction. The tragedy unfolded exactly as prosecutors had feared when they warned the judge about releasing a convicted predator back into the community where vulnerable children, including his own family members, could become victims of his dangerous behavior.

DeSantis Demands Accountability Through Impeachment

Governor Ron DeSantis signed “Missy’s Law” on March 31, 2026, legislation requiring mandatory custody for defendants convicted of dangerous crimes while awaiting sentencing. During the Tampa signing ceremony, DeSantis directly called for Baker-Carper’s impeachment, stating the Florida House has the power to hold judges accountable and warning that without such action, judges will continue benefiting the criminal element. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier formally urged House Speaker Daniel Perez to initiate impeachment proceedings, characterizing Baker-Carper’s decision as a “gross misuse of judicial discretion” constituting “misdemeanor in office” under the Florida Constitution. The coordinated push from Florida’s top Republican officials reflects widespread outrage over judicial decisions that prioritize criminal defendants over community safety.

Republican Supermajority Positioned to Act

The Florida Legislature’s Republican supermajority, controlling approximately 70 percent of seats in both chambers, possesses the votes necessary to impeach and remove Baker-Carper from the bench. Impeachment under Florida’s Constitution requires two-thirds approval in both the House and Senate, a threshold the GOP can reach without Democratic support. As of the latest reports from March 31, 2026, no formal impeachment proceedings have commenced, though Speaker Perez received Uthmeier’s formal request to initiate the process. This case marks DeSantis’s first explicit call for judicial impeachment despite his long-standing criticism of what he terms “activist judges,” signaling the severity with which Republican leaders view Baker-Carper’s actions.

Broader Implications for Judicial Accountability

The case illuminates growing frustration among citizens of all political persuasions with a justice system that appears to protect criminals at the expense of innocent victims. “Missy’s Law” immediately restricts judicial discretion in similar cases, shifting power from individual judges to legislative mandates designed to protect public safety. Long-term implications include heightened scrutiny of judicial appointments and decisions, potentially deterring lenient rulings on sex offenders and violent criminals throughout Florida’s court system. If the impeachment proceeds, it would establish precedent for holding judges accountable when their decisions directly enable violent crimes, addressing concerns that unelected officials face insufficient consequences for failures that cost innocent lives while the rest of society suffers the results of their poor judgment.