Eric Schnetzer, a 45-year-old man, was a nurse and a devoted father of three. His partner, Carrie McPherson, described him as "a great dad, the best father," who supported his family. His life was cut short by a violent encounter on an Orlando roadway on July 28, 2020.
That evening around 6:30 p.m., a road rage incident that began on Florida’s Turnpike escalated into a fatal shooting.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, surveillance video captured Schnetzer and another driver, Nael Zaben Abraham, “driving aggressively toward one another” as they exited the turnpike. At the intersection of South Orange Blossom Trail and Consulate Drive, Abraham pulled his Infiniti QX60 alongside Schnetzer’s pickup truck, rolled down his window, and fired a single shot. Schnetzer was struck in the head. His truck rolled slowly through the intersection as Abraham sped away. Emergency responders rushed Schnetzer to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators used surveillance footage from a nearby business, a red light camera, and the turnpike to identify the suspect's vehicle. The evidence led them to 25-year-old Nael Abraham, the owner of a smoke shop in Cocoa, Florida. On August 5, 2020, deputies with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office arrested Abraham on a warrant for second-degree murder.
The case proceeded through the court system, with Schnetzer's family attending every major hearing. During the trial, prosecutors argued that Abraham chose to pursue and kill Schnetzer rather than disengage from the traffic dispute. A jury ultimately found Nael Abraham guilty of second-degree murder with a firearm.
On March 27, 2026, a judge sentenced Abraham to 50 years in prison. The sentence includes a 25-year mandatory minimum, meaning he must serve the first 25 years day-for-day. After the hearing, Schnetzer’s partner said she felt justice had been served. "It’s a relief," she said, adding a message for other drivers: "It’s not worth it. It’s not worth your life." As of March 2026, Abraham’s defense attorney had filed a notice to appeal the sentence.
