When Aunesty Summer Rayne was found on the floor of her boyfriend’s apartment in July of 2017, the police were dispatched to the scene to cover what seemed to be a suicide case. Now, a little under two years later, her boyfriend at the time of her death, Sean Lovins, is being charged with Rayne’s alleged murder. Spinnaker recently found that Lovins was a UNF student at the time of his girlfriend’s murder and his arrest.

On the night of the incident, the two had reportedly been out at a bar and after coming back home – to his apartment – had smoked a cigarette and gone to bed. Lovins claims to have been sleeping when he heard the gunshot that killed Rayne later that night. Upon discovering his girlfriend on the floor of the living room with a gunshot wound to the head, he allegedly went next door to wake up his step-brother and call 911.

According to the police report, the victim was pronounced dead after being transported to UF Health and Lovins was transported to the Homicide Office for further investigation of the death of Aunesty Rayne.

During the investigation, Lovins denied ever touching the pistol that was the cause of the fatal wound to Rayne’s head, although officials say they found both Lovins’ and Rayne’s DNA on the weapon.

Forensic testing conducted by Laboratory Director of Alliance Forensics Laboratory Richard Ernest revealed no gunshot residue from the area surrounding the entrance wound. Gunshot residue was reportedly found, though, on Lovins’ left hand. Further testing also concluded that the pistol was shot at a distance that was greater than 24 inches away from the entry point of the bullet, which would have reportedly been outside the reach of the victim.

The suspect was arrested over a year later in November of 2018 by UNFPD and is now being charged with second degree murder, according to police.

According to the University, Lovins attended UNF from Jan. 7, 2016 to Dec. 7, 2018.

Lovins will appear in court for his next pretrial on Feb. 27, 2019.

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