• Congratulations to Felony Division Chief Kimberly Rivera and ASA Ashley Ramkishun for securing a guilty verdict of one count of Second-Degree Murder and one count of Attempted Premediated Murder.
On October 5, 2023, at approximately 6:20 A.M., the Defendant was walking in his neighborhood when he approached the Victim, a homeless man living in the community, at the corner of NW 71st and NW 14th Ave. in unincorporated Miami-Dade County. For reasons unknown, the Defendant pulled out a firearm and shot the Victim twice, striking him in the head and right thigh. ShotSpotter did not detect gun shots at that location, so the Victim was bleeding on the sidewalk for about 40 minutes until a passerby saw the body and called 911 at approximately 7 A.M.
At 7:04 A.M., the Defendant approached Victim 2 near NW 68th Terr. and NW 15th Ave. in the City of Miami. Victim 2 was walking to his uncle’s house to get bus fare so he could go to his job at Cheesecake Factory. The Defendant asked Victim 2 if he had heard shots. Victim 2 said “no” and continued walking. The Defendant followed the Victim. As he was turning down NW 68th Terr., the Defendant pulled out a firearm and demanded that Victim 2 hand over his firearm. Victim 2, who was unarmed, backed away from the Defendant while lifting his shirt and pulling his pants down to show he was unarmed. The Defendant walked toward Victim 2 and shot him twice, striking him in the arm and side.
The homeless Victim was transported to Ryder Trauma Center where he was pronounced brain dead 5 days later, on October 10, 2023. Victim 2 was treated at the hospital and survived. He was able to provide a description of the Defendant and cameras in the area operated by the City of Miami Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center captured the shooting. With images from the various cameras in the area, detectives were able to create Need to Identify Flyers, which were disseminated via social media. Detectives received multiple anonymous tips that identified the Defendant. Detectives learned that shortly after the shooting, the Defendant walked into a local business and discussed the shooting that took place at 6:20 A.M. with patrons inside the store. This was captured on store surveillance video. He also matched the description provided by Victim 2.
The Defendant had been released from prison 5 months prior after serving 31 years for a murder he committed as a juvenile pursuant to a Miller/Graham hearing. The detectives reached out to his probation officer, and she identified the Defendant as the person in the video captured at the scene of the second shooting. Later, a search warrant was executed at the Defendant’s house and the police found the clothing, shoes, and backpack worn by the Defendant at time he committed both crimes. The firearm was never located, but a forensic expert testified that the spent casings found at both shooting scenes had been fired from the same gun.
Despite the seriousness and complexity of the charges, the Defendant filed a speedy demand and represented himself at the probation violation hearing and the trial. At the probation violation hearing, the Defendant was found in violation and sentenced to life in prison.
Unwilling to plead guilty to the new crimes, the Defendant proceeded to trial and claimed selfdefense right before starting jury selection. He testified on the stand that he was only a witness to the first homicide and that the real killer was Victim 2. He argued that when he saw Victim 2 again, he shot him in self-defense. During cross examination, DC Kim Rivera was able to elicit from the Defendant that he was not actually in fear. She also demonstrated that his version of events was completely contradicted by the video showing him shoot Victim 2.
While the Defendant’s last-minute self-defense claim caused the prosecutors to shift their trial strategy away from an ID case, they still called the probation officer to identify the Defendant. She testified in plain clothes as a civilian and was carefully questioned to avoid any indication that the Defendant was on probation.
The jury deliberated for a little over an hour before finding him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The ASAs would like to thank Trial Coordinator Tiana Whittaker and Homicide Counselor Andrea Marquez for their valuable assistance.
