March 5, 2026
PRESS RELEASE
On March 4, 2026, Santa Rosa Circuit Court Judge Clifton Drake sentenced Jeffrey Stahler to life in prison for Second Degree Murder with a Weapon. Stahler entered a plea straight up to the Court on December 8, 2025.
On May 27, 2023, law enforcement responded to a residence on Diamond Street and discovered the body of Denise McLean lying on the porch. The defendant attempted to flee from the scene and was apprehended by law enforcement. The investigation revealed that Denise McLean had been beaten and stabbed numerous times.
The arrest and investigation were conducted by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant State Attorney Mark Alderman prosecuted the case on behalf of Ginger Bowden Madden, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit of Florida. For more information, please contact Mr. Alderman at (850) 981-5500.
