Andrew Ridgeway, 47, was sentenced to 35 years in prison on January 9, 2026, after pleading no contest to second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the February 2025 death of his girlfriend, Stacey Ann Powell, 48, in Auburndale, Florida.
Incident Overview
Powell was reported missing on February 5, 2025, after failing to log into work. Police conducted a welfare check at her home the next morning, where a contractor retrieving tools noted Ridgeway had cited an “emergency” to cancel work. Ridgeway, monitoring via doorbell camera remotely, lied to officers, claiming Powell had Ubered to Orlando airport for a flight to Jamaica to visit her “extremely sick” father—who was actually healthy in North Carolina. A search warrant revealed Powell’s savagely beaten body wrapped in plastic and moving blankets, with a distorted face from blunt force trauma, multiple gunshot wounds, lacerations, 9mm shell casings, and bullet holes in walls.
Investigation and Arrest
Auburndale Police Chief Terry Storie described the scene as requiring three crime technicians due to extensive blood evidence. Ridgeway fled to Georgia but was tracked and arrested on February 7, 2025. His Jamaica alibi unraveled quickly upon verifying with Powell’s father.
Sentencing Details
Ridgeway received credit for time served during pretrial detention. The no-contest plea avoided trial, adjudicating him guilty on both felony counts. The case underscores domestic violence patterns, with Ridgeway’s deception prolonging discovery of the brutal crime.
