While he remained incompetent to stand trial, a Port Charlotte man accused of killing his father in the parking lot of a Fort Myers establishment changed his plea.
Jancarlos Lizardi Rosado, 25, on May 18 pleaded no contest to one count of second-degree murder. Lee Circuit Judge Robert Branning adjudicated him guilty and sentenced him to the minimum mandatory term of 25 years in prison, followed by 10 years of probation.
Branning on Oct. 7 of last year ruled that Lizardi Rosado was unable to stand trial for second-degree murder. Dr. Keegan Culver, who the court appointed to test Lizardi Rosado, authored separate reports on June 8 and Aug. 22, according to Branning’s order.
The psychological evaluations have remained locked, marked as confidential in court records.
Court documents identified the victim as Jose Lizardi Liceaga, 46, of Port Charlotte.
Just before 11 a.m. March 16, 2023, Lee County sheriff’s deputies responded to a shooting at the Restaurant Depot, 17751 South Tamiami Trail, in south Fort Myers.
A minute-long video the sheriff’s office posted after the slaying showed the father, a bald man wearing a black shirt with a white logo, black shorts and black shoes, pushing a cart full of purchases on a sidewalk toward his car.
He reaches the trunk, moving off screen. As he unloads the groceries, the video indicates Lizardi Rosado shot him. The father fell to the ground after stumbling over a concrete parking block, moving back into the video camera’s range.
Lizardi Liceaga then backs around his car, apparently attempting to evade Lizardi Rosado, and clutching his chest, later walking counter-clockwise around the front of the van. Lizardi Rosado follows him and fires several shots. The slain father then leans over the roof of the car confronting the shooter before falling off camera. The shooter then calmly stands at the front of the van.
The sheriff’s office later removed the shooting footage from their Facebook page.
Restaurant Depot is a members-only chain selling wholesale food, beverages, equipment and supplies for restaurants and bars.
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@usatodayco.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Bluesky @tomasfrodriguez.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Port Charlotte man changes plea in father’s Restaurant Depot slaying
Reporting by Tomas Rodriguez, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
