Jury Approves Death Penalty For Deltona Man

Posted

Daytona Beach, FL - The man convicted of murder in the August 2013 death of 25-year-old Christopher Jemery could be sentenced to death.

The jurors who found 25-year-old Christian Cruz guilty last week voted unanimously to recommend the death penalty to Circuit Judge Raul Zambrano yesterday (March 7th).

The jury also found Cruz guilty of armed burglary, armed robbery and kidnapping in that August 26, 2013 incident ending in the death of Jemery.

Prosecutors say Cruz targeted and killed Jemery after he thought he was ripped off in a drug deal, but Jeremy wasn’t the man authorities believe Cruz intended to kill. Detectives think Cruz’s intended victim – a friend of Jemery’s – had recently moved out of the Belltower Apartments in Deltona and Jeremy had moved into his friend’s apartment shortly before the break-in happened.

According to the charging affidavit, Cruz and another man – 30-year-old Justen Charles – used speaker wire and duct tape to bind Jemery and then beat him before loading him into the trunk of a rental car.

From there, both men drove Jemery to an industrial park in the Sanford area, at which point authorities say they shot Jemery in the head and left his body near some bushes.

“The jury’s recommendation brings us one step closer to holding the defendant accountable for his actions,” stated Florida 7th Circuit State Attorney R.J. Larizza.

Judge Zambrano scheduled a special hearing for April 30th to hear arguments on why Cruz should not be condemned to death.