Landen Ballard sat across from the 35-year-old woman in Cash Out Gold and Silver on April 28, and they started talking as if they knew each other, records show.
Ballard, 20, of Vero Beach, pulled a firearm from his hip but held it out of view of the woman, whom Fort Pierce police identified as Lazaro Rodriguez Vega, but friends identified as Lanessa Rodriguez.
Within minutes, Ballard shot Rodriguez once in the left shoulder, then fired six additional times until the magazine of his firearm was empty before leaving Rodriguez for dead.
The details of Rodriguez’s slaying, from a description of video surveillance, were revealed in court records released April 30 supporting Ballard’s arrest on murder, obstruction of justice and probation violation charges.
Fort Pierce Police on April 29 announced the arrest but the records provide more details in the case.
Police went to Cash Out Gold and Silver on South U.S. 1 between West Weatherbee and West Midway roads about 7:12 p.m. April 28 after a man reported arriving from a Vero Beach gold store to drop off jewelry and saw Rodriguez in a pool of blood near the front entrance.
According to records, about 11 p.m. police spoke to a witness who came to the Vero Beach Police Department, reporting she was involved in a shooting incident in Fort Pierce.
She was taken to the Fort Pierce Police Department and said she was with Ballard and another man. She said she’d known Ballard since 2021.
The woman said Ballard called her via Snapchat about 3:13 p.m. and asked her for a ride to sell a gold pendant.
She said she drove Ballard and the other man around. They apparently went to a gold and silver store in Vero Beach, and she said she remembered Ballard “on his phone possibly speaking with the female victim,” records show.
It was mentioned that the female had previously offered Ballard employment, records show.
They arrived by the Cash Out Gold and Silver in Fort Pierce at 5:49 p.m. Ballard and the second man went inside while she stayed in the vehicle, she said.
When Ballard and the other man exited the store, the other man reported Ballard shot the woman, identified by police as a manager.
“(The witness) stated that Ballard appeared to be bragging and said, ‘Is it bad that I have no remorse?” records show.
She said Ballard told her to drive away, and that Ballard threw out a firearm and a magazine in the area of Interstate 95 and Indrio Road.
Ballard called a man “known as ‘CoJack’ and told him what he had done,” she said. Ballard told CoJack to meet at HCA Florida Vero Beach Emergency in Vero Beach.
At the HCA facility, she said Ballard told her to get in CoJack’s vehicle, a black sedan. Ballard, herself, CoJack and the other man were inside.
She said it appeared Ballard planned to go back to the Fort Pierce store “to commit a robbery.”
She said she was threatened to be killed if she didn’t comply.
“(She) expressed fear of what Ballard might do to her, as she was already aware of what he was capable of doing,” records show.
As they approached Cash Out Gold and Silver in Fort Pierce, they saw police there and returned to Vero Beach.
Police on April 29 reported they were trying to determine a motive.
Police found a 9mm handgun south of the Indrio Road offramp.
Investigators got video from the Cash Out Gold and Silver store, which depicts the fatal shooting.
Seven 9mm cartridge casings also were recovered.
The woman told police she didn’t know a shooting was going to occur. She said it appeared Ballard was familiar with Rodriguez “seeing Ballard previously made mentioned (sic) being offer an (sic) employment,” records show.
Police reported finding Ballard at his mother’s home in Fort Pierce.
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: ‘Is it bad that I have no remorse?’; new details in Florida slaying
Reporting by Will Greenlee, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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