HOMOSASSA, Fla. -- The father of a murdered Florida girl wants her killer to pay with his life.

The suspect doesn't "deserve to be amongst us," Mark Lunsford said.

Speaking to reporters near his home Sunday, Lunsford called for his daughter's killer to get the death penalty -- and said he'd like to confront the killer himself.

The body of 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford was found Saturday about 150 yards from her Homosassa, Fla., home.

Authorities allege John Evander Couey, a registered sex offender, entered Jessica Lunsford's house through an unlocked door, snatched her from her bed and later sexually assaulted her.

Citrus County Sheriff Jeff Dawsy said medical examiners confirmed the sexual assault by examining her body. But detectives might never know how long Jessica was held before she was murdered because of the suspect's "drug haze," Dawsy said.

Authorities said Couey has confessed to kidnapping and killing the girl. He made his first appearance in a Florida court Sunday morning.

"John Couey admitted to abducting Jessica and subsequently taking her life," said Citrus County Sheriff Jeff Dawsy on Friday. "We've built a very methodical case. I've got my man."

He is being charged with two probation violations, including failure to notify officials that he was moving, which is required under Florida's sex-offender notification laws. He has not yet been charged in the death of Jessica Lunsford.

A judge appointed a public defender as a lawyer for Couey, who is being held without bond.

Early Sunday morning, Couey was returned to Florida from Georgia, where he was taken into custody. He was booked into the Citrus County Jail.

Couey was arrested in Georgia Thursday on a probation violation for failing to notify officials that he was moving, a requirement for sex offenders. He had waived extradition back to Florida on that charge.

At the time of Lunsford's kidnapping, Couey was staying about 150 yards away in a mobile home belonging to his half-sister and three others.

Couey left Florida on or about March 4, about a week after her disappearance. Police said he told relatives that police would be looking for him.

Lunsford was last seen Feb. 23 when her grandmother tucked her into bed. When her family went to awaken her for school the next morning, she was gone without a trace. Police said a door at the home was unlocked and one of the girl's dolls was missing. She lived with her father and grandparents and was a third-grader at Homosassa Elementary School.

Four other people are being charged in connection with the case. Three are charged with obstruction for failing to notify police when Couey allegedly told them he had committed a crime. A fourth faced an unrelated child support charge.

At Lunsford's church Sunday, the pastor asked for prayers for the Lunsfords. He also asked worshipers to forgive the killer.