| Congratulations to Felony Division Chiefs Sara Imm and
Elizabeth Utset and Gangs Unit ASA Khalil Quinan, for securing
a conviction of First-Degree Felony Murder, Attempted Felony
Murder, and Attempted Armed Robbery. The Defendant was
involved in this robbery gone bad. His Co-Defendant was tried
and convicted in February 2024. The Defendant was sentenced
to life in prison in hearing held immediately after the verdict. The
sentence was pronounced in abstentia after the Defendant had
an outburst and tried to attack the next of kin during their victim
impact statement. |
| The Defendant conspired with two friends to set up a robbery of a high
school senior in April of 2020. Codefendant #2 posed as a would-be
buyer of three pairs of Yeezy sneakers that were advertised on
Instagram. After securing the “deal,” Codefendant # 2 sent the seller a
fictitious address for the “sale.” That address directed the seller to the
area of the Defendant’s home, but it was not assigned to any
particular home. When the seller arrived and was unable to locate a
house, Codefendant # 2 instructed the seller to meet him in front of an
abandoned house in the neighborhood. The seller drove to the
abandoned house and sat in his car with his 18-year-old girlfriend, the
now deceased Victim, who was in the passenger seat holding the
Yeezy shoe boxes. The seller told Codefendant #2 that he was
outside the abandoned house in a jeep. Phone evidence showed that
Codefendant #2 then messaged the Defendant’s Instagram saying,
“fool outside in a jeep.” That message served as a greenlight for the
Defendant and Codefendant #1 to leave the residence and carry out
their plan to rob the seller. |
| Codefendant #1 hopped a fence in the backyard of the Defendant’s
residence, which led to the abandoned house on the next block. He
then walked from the side of the abandoned house and approached
the driver side of the jeep. Codefendant #1 pretended to be interested
in buying the shoes and distracted the seller until the Defendant
arrived a couple of minutes later, armed with a firearm. |
| Simultaneously, the Defendant left his house on foot and walked
around the block to the abandoned house. The Defendant got to the
jeep and approached the seller’s window. The Defendant immediately
pulled out a firearm, pointed it at the seller, and fired one shot. The
bullet struck both the seller and his girlfriend. The seller survived but
the seller’s girlfriend, a Miami-Dade high schooler, was killed. |
| The defense argued that Codefendant #1 was the shooter, and that
the Defendant did not know that a robbery was going to
occur. However, video and phone evidence combined showed that
the Defendant actively coordinated and conspired with both
Codefendants to commit the robbery and established his identity as
the shooter. The Defendant had a distinctive hairstyle that helped
police identify him from various videos and allowed the State
to overcome an identity defense despite the suppression of the
Defendant’s confession. A careful examination of the digital evidence
also allowed the ASAs to argue consciousness of guilt based on
coordinated deletions of incriminating material from social media and
their cell phones. |
| The ASAs could not have been successful without the diligent
investigation and trial preparation by Miami-Dade Police Department
Lead Detective Chris Villano, Sergeant Sergio Cremisini, and the
entire Homicide team. Sgt. Cremisini and the Homicide Intelligence
Technology Squad (HITS) were vital in ensuring the guilty verdict by
compiling a large volume of electronic evidence into an incredible
summary video that put the case together for the jury. This helped the
prosecutors successfully argue that all three conspirators were
working together to plan and carry out a robbery. The prosecutors are
grateful for their efforts. The attorneys would also like to thank Trial
Coordinators Matthew Shultz, Jerry Pierre, and Evika Jones for
assisting throughout the trial with witnesses and exhibits. Special
thanks as well to Homicide Counselors Andrea Marquez and Kelly
Usher-Villazan, who sat with and supported a large group of family
members of the Victims throughout the second set of proceedings for
this incredibly tragic case |
| Congratulations to Felony Division Chief Arvind Singh and ASA
Conor Soper for securing a guilty verdict for one count of
Second-Degree Murder with a Firearm and one count of
Aggravated Assault with a Firearm. The Defendant was
sentenced to life in prison for the killing of the Victim. |
| On the morning of August 14, 2019, the Victim was riding his bicycle
with his cycling group, the Don Pan riders, from South Miami to Key
Biscayne. As they made their way past the Rickenbacker Causeway
toll plaza, the Defendant rode his motorcycle near the Victim and other
cyclists as he started filming them with his phone. The Defendant had
done this before because his son was part of that same cycling group.
However, this was different because this time just the day before the
Defendant had threatened the Victim in a rant on Facebook Live. In
the nearly two-and-a-half-minute rant, the Defendant called the Victim
every foul name imaginable, attempted to goad the Victim into a fight,
and threatened the Victim repeatedly, most notably by saying, “I’m
going to break you in two,” and “You will know God’s wrath.” When the
Victim rode his bike nearer and called to the Defendant on his
motorcycle to stop filming him and the group, the Defendant can be
seen on his own cellphone recording kicking the Victim’s rear bicycle
tire. This caused the Victim to lose balance and pull off to the right
shoulder of the bridge. |
| Three other cyclists in the group – including the Defendant’s son –
pulled over too. The Defendant caused all traffic to stop when he
parked his motorcycle in the far-left lane and walked across the center
and right lanes to confront the Victim. In the shoving match that
followed, the Defendant clearly overpowered the Victim several times. |
| Realizing his opportunity to exact his wrath on the Victim, the
Defendant yelled for his son to grab the gun out of his bag. The son
brought the bag to his father. The Defendant pulled the gun out and
shot the Victim once in the abdomen, striking his aorta. The Victim fell
to the ground and soon bled to death. |
|
| At trial, the Defense tried to argue self-defense, claiming that the
Defendant was being attacked by three people at once and that the
Victim had pointed a gun at the Defendant before he shot the Victim.
The Defendant even took the stand, claiming that one of the witnesses
handed the Victim a gun and that a separate witness later approached
the Victim’s body and whisked the gun away. The witnesses who
testified said that the only gun they saw was in the Defendant’s hands.
The video evidence from independent witnesses and GoPro footage
from one of the cyclists also clearly refuted both the Defendant’s
claims. |
| The ASAs were also able to prove to the jury that the Defendant was
lying about the Victim having a gun by using the Defendant’s own
words against him. At trial, the first responding officer testified that
when he asked the Defendant what had happened, the Defendant
responded, “I shot him because he threw a bottle at me.” Division
Chief Arvind Singh was also able to skillfully cross-examine the
Defendant on the fact that he turned his back on the wounded but still
conscious Victim right after shooting him. This would not make sense
if the Victim had a gun. Ultimately, the jury rejected the Defendant’s
story and found him guilty as charged. |
| The ASAs would like to thank Trial Coordinator Emilia Mendez,
Homicide Counselors Idalma Gurruchaga and Marilyn Fiallos, and the
Litigation Support Unit for their support and assistance before and
throughout the trial. The ASAs would also like to thank Chief Assistant
Kathleen Hoague, Deputy Chief Assistant Nilo Cuervo, and ASA
Carolina Sanchez for their sage advice and assistance with the trial
strategy. |
| Congratulations to Felony Division Chief Cristina Diamond and
ASA Kristen Rodriguez for securing a guilty verdict of First-Degree Murder. The Defendant was sentenced immediately
following the verdict. |
| The Victim’s girlfriend had a “friends-with-benefits” relationship with
the Defendant before she started dating the Victim. The Defendant
was very jealous of the Victim. Over the next few months, Defendant
called the Victim’s girlfriend and showed up at her place of
employment to convince her to leave the Victim. During this time, the
Defendant told the girlfriend that the Victim was using Voodoo and
witchcraft on her to make her to fall in love. Contact between the
Defendant and the Victim’s girlfriend ended in June of 2017.
Interestingly, a review of the Victim’s phone after the homicide in 2019
revealed that the Victim had blocked the Defendant’s number, despite
not knowing the Defendant. The phone also had a note of the
Defendant’s name and description of the Defendant’s car from
December of 2017 |
| On February 17, 2019, the Defendant, who lived in West Palm Beach,
stole a car in Delray Beach and a license plate in Fort Lauderdale. In
the early morning hours of February 18, 2019, the Defendant drove
from her house to Overtown where she lay in wait for the Victim. The
Defendant watched as the Victim and her girlfriend left their
apartment. The Defendant followed and then purposely rear-ended
their car only blocks away. The Victim got out of the car to assess the
damage. The Defendant pulled alongside her, got out wearing a ski
mask, and fired 4 shots into her chin, neck, and chest at such close
range that there was soot and stippling on her body. While the
Defendant fled in the stolen car, she threw the gun and the ski mask
out of the car window several blocks away. These were recovered.
Two weeks later, the Defendant dumped her car in a canal in
Lauderdale Lakes |
| The Victim’s girlfriend witnessed the homicide but did not recognize
the Defendant. Although the Defendant was not initially thought of as
a suspect because a long time had passed since her last contact with
the Victim’s girlfriend, Detective Amores was able to concentrate the
investigation on the Defendant using cell sites and phone call logs.
Later, DNA on the ski mask was found to match the Defendant,
although the DNA on the gun was a mixture of DNA from multiple
sources that was not useful. Detective Amores was able to track the
Defendant’s cell sites to the locations where the car was stolen car,
where the tag was stolen, and where her car was dumped. |
| The State presented the testimony of 17 witnesses, including civilians
and law enforcement officers from Broward County. This would not
have been possible without the hard work of the lead detective, Nestor
Amores, from the City of Miami, who worked tirelessly leading up to
the trial. This included plotting the cell site evidence. The ASAs would
like to thank Nelson Escobar, who was able to work miracles tracking
down and convincing witnesses to cooperate and appear on time for
their testimony. |
| Thanks also to the entire Litigation Support team, including Trevor
Wanless who created an amazing evidence board with a map and
pictures, and Rene Ferrer who downloaded and edited the many
videos used in this case, including fixing glitches. Special thanks to
Homicide Counsellors Kelly Usher-Villazan and Idalma Gurruchaga,
without whom the Victim’s girlfriend would have never made it through
this process. |
|
| Congratulations to Sexual Battery Unit ASAs Lily Wisset and
Marie Koth for securing a guilty verdict against of three counts of
Lewd or Lascivious Molestation on a Child Under 12. |
| The Victim’s mother and the Defendant had been in a live-in romantic
relationship since the Victim was around 4 years old. The Defendant
was regularly left to care for the Victim alone, particularly when her
mother was at work during the nighttime. Starting at around age 5, the
Defendant would wake the Victim up, take off her pajamas, and touch
her inappropriately. The abuse escalated to the Defendant engaging
in sexual activity with the Victim. The Defendant also forced the Victim
to touch his private parts with her hands. Eventually, the Defendant
grew brazen enough to where he would no longer wait for moments
that they were alone together – the Victim specifically recalled an
incident where her mother witnessed the abuse; however, the Victim’s
mother did not acknowledge or address it. |
| Around Thanksgiving time, when the Victim was 6 years old, she went
to stay with an aunt in North Carolina. Finally feeling safe, the Victim
told her aunt that the Defendant was sexually abusing her and that her
mother knew about it. The aunt contacted the Victim’s mother to
confront her about the Victim’s disclosure and prompt her to notify the
authorities. Instead, the Victim’s mother traveled to North Carolina and
only contacted law enforcement to demand the return of her daughter.
Upon police arrival at the residence, the Victim’s aunt reported the
abuse. North Carolina authorities had no choice but to release the
Victim to her mother, but they ensured that our local Department of
Children and Families were notified. The City of Miami Police
Department then opened an investigation. The Victim was forensically
interviewed by the Child Protection Team and gave a compelling
statement. |
| The Defendant and the Victim’s mother were arrested as co-defendants in late 2020. The Victim’s mother pled guilty in May 2023
to one count of Child Neglect No Great Bodily Harm and one count of
Child Neglect for Failure to Report in exchange for a term of probation.
Testifying against the Defendant was not a condition of the mother’s
plea; however, she was required to comply with DCF’s reunification
plan, and eventually regained custody of the Victim. |
| The Victim’s mother agreed to testify at trial but refused to admit ever
witnessing or being told about the sexual abuse and claimed that her
sister (the Victim’s aunt) had a motive to fabricate such claims against
her. The Victim, who is now 10 years old, also came in appearing
“coached” concerning her mother’s involvement. Despite extensive
efforts by the ASAs and GAL to emphasize the importance of the truth,
the Victim would not acknowledge anything that could implicate her
mother and even testified that she had previously lied about her
mother’s knowledge. However, the Victim was compelling in
describing the sexual abuse perpetrated by the Defendant. Although
she could not recall every incident that she had previously disclosed,
she testified consistently and in line with what could be expected from
such a young person after four years had gone by. The ASAs were
able to explain that the Victim had suffered a great deal of trauma
since the disclosure, including being displaced from her mother and
moving from several foster homes, which enabled the jury to
understand her fear of acknowledging her mother’s role. Additionally,
despite being prevented from seeing or speaking to her niece since
the time of the initial disclosure, the Victim’s aunt agreed to travel to
Miami for the trial and proved to be an incredibly valuable witness,
clearly moving the jury with her sincerity and selflessness. |
| The defense focused on attacking the credibility of the Victim’s mother
and the reliability of the Victim’s memory. The defense also played into
the family drama between the aunt and the Victim’s mother, trying to
come up with a motive. However, after a nearly 10-hour deliberation,
the jury was convinced of the Defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable
doubt. |
| The ASAs would like to thank SBU Division Chief Natalie Snyder for
her invaluable advice, SBU ASA Bronwyn Nayci for her help litigating
pre-trial motions and assistance with trial preparations, Victim/Witness
Coordinator Smirne Syndic for coordinating the witnesses and
supporting the Victim and family, and SBU secretaries Valerie Ford
and Charlotte Haslem for assisting with trial preparations. The ASAs
would also like to extend a special thank you to the Guardian ad
Litem, Fran Feinberg, who helped the ASAs in every step of the trial,
specifically being the emotional support for the victim during her
closed-circuit testimony. |
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