MIAMI (WSVN) - A jury on Thursday found Anthawn Ragan Jr. guilty of first-degree murder in the 2013 shooting death of 21-year-old Luis Perez following more than six hours of deliberation.
Jurors found that Ragan possessed and fired a firearm during the killing, which occurred in the stairwell of a Motel 7 in November 2013. Prosecutors said surveillance video showed Ragan confronting Perez before pulling a gun and opening fire.
Ragan was seen smiling at the camera as the jury read the verdict.
“The defendant is guilty of first-degree premeditated murder as charged in the indictment,” read the court clerk.
Perez’s death was part of what authorities described as a month-long crime spree.
Ragan is also facing charges in connection with the fatal shooting of 10-year-old Aaron Vu and the wounding of Vu’s father inside the family’s North Miami nail salon later that same month.
The boy’s father testified earlier this week.
Ragan now faces the death penalty. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 6.
A court date has not yet been set in the case involving Vu’s killing.
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