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Insets, near to right: Jose Garcia Romero, Christopher Randazzo and Torrey Holston (Instagram/Coral Springs Fire Department/Broward County Sheriff's Office). Background: The country wherever Florida firefighter Christopher Randazzo was recovered look down with nary shoes, wallet, keys, oregon telephone aft being changeable and killed (WPLG/YouTube).
Two young Florida men volition walk the remainder of their lives successful situation for killing an off-duty firefighter for his iPhone, Nike sneakers and wallet. The pals applauded each different aft the slaying for however they "caught a body," with a witnesser saying she saw them "smiling astir it."
"I deliberation the assemblage was wide and unanimous connected the engagement of both," the justice overseeing Torrey Holston and Jose Garcia Romero's execution lawsuit said successful tribunal astatine the pair's sentencing connected Wednesday. They were some fixed beingness sentences aft being convicted successful May of murder.
Holston and Garcia Romero were 19 and 20 years old, respectively, erstwhile they changeable Coral Springs-Parkland firefighter Christopher Randazzo dormant extracurricular a edifice successful Lauderdale-by-the-Sea 7 years ago.
The duo went connected trial successful May for the deadly 2019 robbery. Court records viewed by Law&Crime picture however the 2 young men near Randazzo — a 39-year-old "firefighter/paramedic," according to CSFD officials — look down with nary shoes connected aft sidesplitting him for his "red Nike sneakers," iPhone, and wallet, which had $55 inside. They besides swiped his car keys.
"I can't judge I caught a body," Holston boasted aft the slaying, according to witnesser Cheyenne Papach, who was besides contiguous and dating an accomplice who was with the 2 men. The section autarkic presumption WPLG covered her testimony.
"He was smiling astir it," Papach recalled astir Holston, noting however helium and Garcia Romero seemed precise pleased implicit the execution and were bragging astir it.
Papach's boyfriend, Marco Rico, pleaded blameworthy successful 2020 to accessory aft the information and conspiracy charges. He was driving a Nissan Sentra that Holston and Garcia Romero — nicknamed "Six" and "Cobra" — fled successful aft shooting Randazzo.
"Papach told the detectives that Six and Cobra stole from a feline they recovered sleeping connected immoderate steps, and that she had heard 1 changeable erstwhile unfortunate Christopher Randazzo passed away," a tribunal filing viewed by Law&Crime says.
A witnesser who knew Holston and Garcia Romero told investigators that they referred to themselves arsenic "real thugs" who "got guns" and weren't acrophobic of utilizing them. A constabulary authoritative told The Palm Beach Post aft Randazzo was killed, "These kids get each doped up, and I can't reply wherefore they bash what they do."
Randazzo was recovered "lying successful beforehand of the hotel" wherever helium was killed, according to a pistillate who recovered him. "My hubby thinks he's dead," the pistillate told a 911 dispatcher.
Before the shooting, Holston described the weapon helium is accused of utilizing to termination Randazzo arsenic "my subject weapon," according to police. "We tin rob him and we tin sprout him," helium told Garcia Romero portion Rico and Papach were present.
"I deliberation I got him," Holston said aft shooting Randazzo. "I saw him slumped over."
Holston and Garcia Romero were some charged with first-degree murder, robbery with a deadly limb and transgression conspiracy.
Garcia Romero's attorney, Jim Lewis, told the section autarkic tv presumption WPLG successful May that an entreaty was being weighed. He said trying some men unneurotic was a "detriment," according to WPLG.
"We had ever asked to beryllium separate," Lewis said. "Jose Romero was ne'er alleged to transportation a weapon successful this incident. The co-defendant was, truthful to immoderate extent, we paid the price."
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