Justin Paul Blauberg, a 32-year-old Caucasian male from New Smyrna Beach, Florida, tragically lost his life on January 1, 2020. The incident occurred at the Charleston Place Apartments in Holly Hill, where Blauberg was found with a gunshot wound to the head inside his crashed car. The initial investigation revealed that Blauberg had been shot, causing him to lose control of his vehicle and crash into a parked car.
He was transported to Halifax Health Medical Center but succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
The investigation into Blauberg's death uncovered that the shooting was drug-related. Police discovered a Snapchat conversation on Blauberg's phone between him and Julianna Rizzo, discussing the price and sale of drugs. Additionally, two pounds of marijuana were found in a backpack belonging to Blauberg in his car. This evidence pointed towards a drug deal gone wrong as the motive behind the shooting.
Two suspects, Joshua Shelton, 28, and Julianna Rizzo, 24, were identified and arrested in connection with the murder. Shelton and Rizzo were apprehended in Malibu, California, and extradited to Volusia County to face charges. Shelton was charged with second-degree murder, while Rizzo faced charges as a principal to second-degree murder. Both suspects were held without bail.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing a man and a woman banging on Blauberg's car before hearing gunshots and witnessing the car crash. Further investigation linked Rizzo to the crime scene through DNA evidence found on a pair of slippers near Blauberg's crashed car. The suspects also attempted to cover their tracks by selling the car they used on the night of the shooting and fraudulently registering a new vehicle.
The case against Shelton and Rizzo highlighted the dangerous intersection of drug trafficking and violence, ultimately leading to the tragic death of Justin Paul Blauberg. The legal proceedings against the suspects were ongoing, with both facing serious charges for their involvement in the fatal shooting.
