Introduction to the Case
Pedro Bravo, the killer convicted of murdering a University of Florida student and his former friend in 2012, was charged with getting others to lie for him to get a new trial before he was found dead in his prison cell this week.
While the 2012 crime happened in north Central Florida, all three of the main people involved – the killer, his victim and the young woman Bravo was obsessed with – were graduates of Doral Academy.
The 2012 Crime
Christian Aguilar was murdered in September 2012. And Bravo, a jealous ex-boyfriend of Aguilar’s girlfriend, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder, claiming innocence to the end.
The overwhelming evidence said otherwise. But some people have trouble believing a then 18-year-old could be so cruel and violent, and a woman who saw a YouTube video sympathetic to Bravo claimed she saw Aguilar walk away from a fight with Bravo and get into someone else’s car the day he disappeared.
New Charges and Developments
That and the recantation of a jailhouse snitch, who testified against Aguilar in 2014, supported a motion for a new trial.
But prosecutors say both Kelcie Edwards and Michael Angelo were lying, conspiring to commit perjury.
Then days before Bravo was to appear on those new charges, he apparently died by suicide in prison Wednesday.
Documentary and Reaction
The documentary delves into the details of what led Bravo to commit his atrocious crime.
"We’re very sad about his loss and we regret we didn’t have our day in court to go forward with the motion," said Bravo’s attorney, Hani Demetrious.
Co-Conspirators and Charges
One other person named in the witness tampering charges was Bravo’s own mother Azucena Duque, an uncharged co-conspirator, the Alachua County prosecutor said.
The two surviving defendants have pleaded not guilty. NBC6 reached out to Duque for comment, but have not heard back.
The state attorney said there was enough evidence to name her as a co-conspirator but insufficient evidence to charge her, though she’s listed as a possible witness against the others.
Conclusion
The case of Pedro Bravo is a complex and tragic one, with many twists and turns. The new charges and developments in the case were cut short by Bravo’s death, leaving many questions unanswered.
FAQs
Q: What was Pedro Bravo convicted of?
A: Pedro Bravo was convicted of murdering a University of Florida student and his former friend in 2012.
Q: What new charges was Bravo facing before his death?
A: Bravo was facing charges of conspiring to commit perjury.
Q: Who else was named in the witness tampering charges?
A: Bravo’s mother Azucena Duque was named as an uncharged co-conspirator, and Kelcie Edwards and Michael Angelo were also charged.
Q: What was the outcome of the case?
A: The case was cut short by Bravo’s death, and the two surviving defendants have pleaded not guilty.
