BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. — A jury has convicted two men in connection with the 2019 murder of Christopher Randazzo, a firefighter with the Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department. The decision culminated a lengthy legal journey that began when Randazzo, 39, was shot outside the Southern Seas Resort in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea after being robbed of his belongings.
Torrey Holston, 26, and Jose Garcia Romero, 27, were found guilty of murder after a weeklong trial that featured eyewitness accounts, forensic evidence, and assertions that the accused displayed a lack of remorse following the incident. Jurors learned that the victim was attacked shortly after leaving his second job as a bartender at the Aruba Beach Cafe early on October 19, 2019. Prosecutors argued that the defendants had confronted Randazzo, stolen his phone, sneakers, wallet, and keys, then returned to demand the password for the locked phone.
Eyewitness Cheyenne Papach testified about Holston and Romero’s actions that night, claiming they returned to their vehicle to boast about the robbery. She reported that Holston made a chilling remark, expressing disbelief at having “caught a body” while appearing to smile. The defense, on the other hand, questioned the reliability of this testimony and sought to cast doubt on who exactly had fired the weapon.
Investigators discovered Randazzo unresponsive, face-down on the ground, lacking his shoes, wallet, and other personal items. Authorities subsequently connected Holston, Romero, and a third man, Marco Rico, to the crime. Rico, who was dating Papach at the time, pleaded guilty to lesser charges in 2020 and testified during the trial, noting he was behind the wheel of the vehicle used during the crime.
Court records and testimonies revealed that Holston and Romero were just teenagers when the tragedy occurred. The prosecution painted a grim picture of a random act of violence linked to robbery, arguing that the nature of the crime underscored the randomness of Randazzo’s victimization rather than a targeted assault against him.
After the jury reached its decision on May 10, Judge Michael A. Usan noted that while jurors were convinced of both men’s involvement, they did not definitively establish who had possessed or fired the gun. Romero’s attorney expressed concern about the fairness of the joint trial, suggesting the ruling displayed inconsistencies and indicating that an appeal is being considered.
For Randazzo’s family, the verdict signaled a long-awaited sense of closure after nearly seven years of delays and legal proceedings. His brother, Bobby Randazzo, expressed relief, stating that the family could finally begin to process their grief, even acknowledging the pain endured by the defendants’ families. Family members, some of whom attended the trial, shared feelings of both sorrow and vindication as witnesses recounted the critical moments leading up to Randazzo’s death.
Following the verdict, emotions ran high in the courtroom. While Holston was seen making gestures of affection towards loved ones, Romero’s defense team prepared to formally contest the conviction. The prosecution is steering towards sentencing, armed with a solid array of evidence that included witness statements and forensic findings.
Holston and Romero now face mandatory life sentences as they prepare for a sentencing hearing scheduled for June. The case has thrust them into the spotlight, but questions surrounding the specifics of their roles on that fateful night linger, an uncertainty that will follow them into the next phase of their legal battles.