A 24-year-old Florida man is on trial after senselessly murdering his adoptive parents and faces a potential life sentence if he is convicted. Opening statements began yesterday, November 13, 2025, in the Dima Tower, the ‘Troubled Orphan Murder Trial’ with prosecutor Liana Whipple addressing the jury. 

Adoptive Parents’ Murders 

Dima Tower is the adoptive son of Jennifer and Robbie Tower, who were brutally murdered in their  North Port home on August 31, 2023. In 2016, Dima was 14 years old when the couple adopted him from Ukraine. He has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, with an additional charge for fleeing from police. 

On the day of the murders, police responded to the Towers’ home after someone called 911 to report a woman banging on her door, screaming for help. Dima was found covered in blood, loading items into his car when police arrived at the crime scene.

Responding officers allege he ignored their commands to stop what he was doing and started a pursuit across county lines. Sarasota County Sheriff’s Deputies released stop sticks to force his vehicle to stop. When their plan worked, Dima led them on a foot pursuit through the nearby woods. He was found the next day at a gas station still wearing the bloody clothing, and they arrested him. 

Police searched the family’s home where the victims were murdered, and they found Jennifer and Robbie lying next to each other on the ground, face down, covered in blood. They also noted there was blood sprayed all over the furniture in the living room, master bedroom, kitchen, and inside the front door. 

Dima’s Violent History

Scripps News Fort Myers obtained records showing Dima’s history of violence, which dates back to 2018. On December 8, 2018, the New Port Police responded to a family disturbance call in a home on Mallicoat Road. The caller, Rob Tower, told police he and his wife, Jennifer, had not spoken to their son in days.

They admitted that Dima pushed Jennifer out of his room, and Rob felt he needed to be Baker Acted. Dima denied pushing his mother, and since there was no probable cause to arrest him, and he did not meet the criteria for involuntary admission, he got off scot-free.

On April 28, 2019, Jennifer called the police again and reported Dima missing. They grounded him, and he was upset, so he ran away with his bike. He was later found by the police and brought home. He ran away again hours later, and the cycle repeated. Three months later, in July, Dima was taken into custody after it was reported he was walking around an Elementary school with a BB gun. He was released without incident, but claimed he only intended to shoot “army men” toys. 

In October 2019, things took a turn for the worse. Rob contacted the police and told them he did not want Dima in their home anymore due to behavioral issues. He claims his son was physically and verbally abusive. He said that he slept with his door locked at night because he was worried about what might happen. The responding officer attempted to speak with Dima, but he was nonresponsive. Instead, he explained the eviction process to Rob and recommended getting an emergency protection order.

Later that month, Dima was arrested on domestic violence charges. Officers responded to a home where the victim was bleeding, and he had multiple wounds on his head. He explained that Dima pushed him across the kitchen and continued to do so while smacking him. The victim tried to call 911 but was unsuccessful and was punched several times in the face.

Dima attempted to point the finger at the victim, claiming he was abusing his mother. However, he admitted the victim’s statement was true, and he was placed under arrest. He later pleaded not guilty, but the charges were dropped, and nothing was pursued.

Opening Statements

Liana Whipple, the state prosecutor on the case, delivered opening statements arguing that Dima attacked his parents in their sleep with a steak knife. She claims that at some point during the attack, he lost the first knife and got a new one before continuing to stab his father. His mother tried to defend her husband but attempted to flee. She was unsuccessful, and she was forced her back inside and to sit down before he stabbed her. He tried to clean up when he was done, but fled and led the police on a pursuit. 

Defense attorney, Marc Gilman, used opening statements as a time to make his client seem like the victim. He said Dima was put up for adoption in Ukraine because his parents did not “want to deal with him.” While he was reasoning with the jury, Dima audibly broke down in court, causing them to take a break. Afterward, Gilman asked the jury to use the evidence and find his client guilty of manslaughter, not first-degree murder.