FL Mom Killed Cleaning Hotel Room

A Florida mother of four and grandmother of two was brutally murdered while working as a housekeeping manager at a Venice, Florida, motel. Her husband, who went searching for her after she stopped responding to messages, made the horrifying discovery. The man responsible had no connection to her but had a long history of violent crimes.

A Housekeeper's Last Shift

Tina Strader, 46, worked at the Rodeway Inn, where she and her husband, Gerald Strader, also lived. As part of their routine, Tina would text Gerald when she began cleaning a room. But on the morning of April 20, 2021, those texts suddenly stopped. After multiple unanswered calls and messages, Gerald became concerned and went looking for her.

He found the door to the room she was cleaning shut, something that went against her usual safety measures. When he went into the room, he discovered his wife in the closet badly beaten and with a towel stuffed in her mouth. Authorities rushed Tina to a nearby hospital, but her injuries were too severe. She passed away hours later.

Murder Without a Motive

Investigators quickly identified the suspect as 34-year-old Stephen Havrilka, a guest who had been staying at the motel for six days. Surveillance footage showed him entering the room at 8:50 a.m. — just one minute after Tina's final text to her husband. Havrilka remained inside the room for 14 minutes before leaving with his shoes in hand and a towel.

According to prosecutors, there was no known connection between Tina and Havrilka. "We could never discern a motive," Assistant State Attorney Karen Fraivillig told PEOPLE. "However, he is an extremely violent person with prior episodes and I think he just wanted to kill another human being. He needs to go away forever."

Havrilka's Extensive History of Violence

Havrilka had a long criminal record before Tina's murder. At the time of his arrest, he had many prior felony charges including 19 felony convictions, 16 misdemeanor charges, 10 misdemeanor convictions, and had served four prison terms. He had recently been released after attacking his own mother.

Following Tina's death, Havrilka was taken into custody and later found incompetent to stand trial. After multiple delays, he was eventually ruled competent in November 2023. His trial was originally scheduled for February 2024 but was postponed several times before he ultimately pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and aggravated battery of a person with a deadly weapon on Feb. 3, 2025. Sarasota Circuit Court Judge Dana Moss sentenced him to two consecutive life sentences, ensuring he will never be released.

In addition to the life sentences, Judge Dana Moss handed Havrilka five separate 26.5-year sentences for additional offenses, including two counts of assaulting a fellow inmate, two charges of property damage exceeding $1,000, and battery of an officer.

A Loving Mother, Forever Missed

Tina's children spoke about the deep loss they will always feel. As reported by The Sarasota Herald-Tribune, in a statement read by Fraivillig, they described her as a loving mother who brought joy to their lives. She was their cheerleader, a talented cook, and a woman who always had bright red nails.

They also described the homemade birthday cards Tina loved to make: "She'd use construction paper and build them into the kind that pop-up when you open them," their statement read, as reported by The Sarasota Herald-Tribune. "She used every color marker, and she brought so much color to the world."

Tina had been celebrating one year of sobriety before she was killed. She had spent much of her life fighting through hardship, and in her final moments, she fought for her life.

"Our mother will never be at our weddings," her children said, according to PEOPLE. "She will never be able to meet her grandchildren, kiss their heads, tell them stories, tell them fond memories she used to share about being pregnant with us."

Now, Tina's family must navigate life without her. But with Havrilka behind bars for life, they can sleep a little better knowing justice has been served.

References: Husband Rushes to Motel After Wife Stops Answering Texts, Finds Her Killed by a Guest Whose Room She'd Cleaned | Venice man sentenced to life in prison in connection to beating death of hotel worker | Mother of 4 beaten to death working at Venice motel; husband finds her left for dead | A Florida motel housekeeper sent a text. Then her husband found her killed in a closet