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Man who murdered HART bus driver sentenced to life in prison

Justin McGriff, found guilty of murder last month, made no statement at his sentencing Wednesday.
 
Justin McGriff shown in the courtroom during a break in his trial at the Hillsborough County Courthouse Annex in February. McGriff was found guilty of murdering bus driver Thomas Dunn.
Justin McGriff shown in the courtroom during a break in his trial at the Hillsborough County Courthouse Annex in February. McGriff was found guilty of murdering bus driver Thomas Dunn. [ IVY CEBALLO | Times ]
Published April 20, 2022|Updated April 20, 2022

TAMPA — There was little drama in Courtroom 51A of the Hillsborough County Courthouse on Wednesday morning.

Justin McGriff had already been found guilty of murdering bus driver Thomas Dunn a month ago. Now, sitting in an orange prisoner jumpsuit with no family behind him, he remained stoic when Judge Christopher Sabella sentenced him to life in prison without parole.

There were no gasps or tears shed. It was the only possible penalty Sabella could issue McGriff, 38, who stabbed Dunn in the neck while Dunn drove a bus for the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority on May 18, 2019.

Family members of Dunn attended the sentencing but declined to speak. Instead, they made their feelings known through a letter written by Dunn’s brother, Michael Dunn, and read aloud by a member of the family’s counsel.

Michael Dunn said his brother, who was 46 when he died, was a dedicated father and husband, who also loved hunting trips, talking sports and spending time with his Grandma.

“There will be no more jokes, no more telling stories or lies, no more going to the bar together on holidays with his three siblings,” the letter read.

A memorial was set up after the killing of Hillsborough bus driver Thomas Dunn.

Michael Dunn said his brother’s death was a loss for his family and the community. He said Dunn’s children are “permanently scarred.” He wishes Dunn could be there for father-daughter dances, to sit in the stands at their sporting events and to teach them how to drive.

Instead, he wrote, it will have to be someone else.

“Being a father was the most important thing in his life,” the letter said.

A jury found McGriff guilty of murder on March 10, rejecting defense arguments that he was insane when he killed Dunn. Integral to the trial was the testimony of several psychological experts. Some said McGriff showed signs of schizophrenia prior to the incident, while others said his actions the day of the murder proved he was sane.

Surveillance video and audio from inside the bus captured the moment in detail, including a chilling verbal exchange McGriff had with Dunn just before stabbing him.

In this image from the Hillsborough State Attorney's Office, killer Justin McGriff is seen just prior to slashing the throat of HART bus driver Thomas Dunn. [ PHOTO COURTESY OF HILLSBOROUGH S | Photo courtesy of Hillsborough S ]

“God bless you,” he told him.

“Thank you,” Dunn said with a laugh. “God bless you, too.”

Before announcing McGriff’s sentence, Sabella said Dunn’s death was tragic. He said random attacks on public transportation have become a national trend recently, referencing events such as the shooting on a New York City subway this month that injured 23.

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Sabella said these events, including McGriff’s case, highlight how people with mental health issues in the United States don’t receive help until it’s too late.