Leesburg, FL – A jury has convicted a 26-year-old man for the armed robbery and murder of a store clerk who was shot while on a FaceTime call with his wife. Alex Lopez was found guilty of first-degree murder and armed robbery in the death of Raied “Ray” Shihadeh, 51, at M & M Food Mart.
Lopez received a life sentence without the possibility of parole. The incident occurred on May 30, when Monique Shihadeh listened in horror as her husband was shot.
She testified that she heard her husband plead and then heard a gunshot. Moments later, Lopez stepped over the victim and shot him again before stealing less than $100 and a vape.
A customer entered the store shortly after, heard Monique screaming, and discovered her husband on the ground, prompting a 911 call. Law enforcement responded and found Shihadeh with multiple gunshot wounds and later pronounced him dead at the hospital.
Lopez, who was captured after several weeks on the run at a Kissimmee hotel, was identified thanks to tips that included information from a relative. Bill Gladson, the State Attorney, commented that Lopez valued a small sum of money over a human life, emphasizing the impact of the crime on Shihadeh’s family, who were left behind.