OKEECHOBEE, Fla. – Prosecutors say they are going to seek the death penalty against a Florida man accused of murdering a Lyft driver whose automobile he allegedly stole in an try to get away any other killing.
Okeechobee County prosecutors not too long ago filed a courtroom realize pronouncing they are going to seek a death sentence against Mathew Flores, who’s charged with first-degree homicide and armed theft for the Jan. 30 slaying of 74-year-old Gary Levin. They cited a number of irritating cases, together with that the killing took place whilst the suspect was once fleeing any other criminal — a theft — and that it was once completed in a “cold, calculated and premeditated manner.”
Flores, 36, was once indicted previous this month for Levin’s capturing death. Flores, who’s jailed with out bond, is ready to be arraigned subsequent week in Okeechobee County. No lawyer is indexed for him within the Levin case in courtroom information.
Flores has pleaded now not responsible to a first-degree homicide price for allegedly capturing Jose Carlos Martinez, 43, on Jan. 24 in Hardee County in central Florida.
Investigators say that when killing Martinez, Flores stole a number of automobiles to make his means to Palm Beach County, the place he had a chum order him a experience the use of the Lyft telephone app. Officials mentioned that particular person isn’t dealing with fees, as they had been unaware that Flores was once sought after.
Levin authorised the Lyft request and picked Flores up.
Flores shot Levin within his 2022 Kia Stinger after which dumped his frame close to Lake Okeechobee, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement mentioned. Three days later, Flores was once arrested in North Carolina after police say he led them on a high-speed chase in Levin’s car.
Investigators discovered Levin’s frame 5 days after the slaying once they retraced his experience with Flores.
Flores was once launched from a Florida jail in 2017 after serving a 12 months for auto robbery, grand robbery and unlawful ownership of a firearm.
Levin’s circle of relatives declined to remark at the prosecutor’s resolution. His daughter-in-law is an Associated Press reporter.