On December 17, 2019, 20-year-old Justin Reyes, a young man from Panama City, Florida, was tragically murdered in his home. The incident occurred when Jonathan Lozada, who was 22 years old at the time, shot Justin Reyes twice in the head at close range. The murder was particularly heinous as Lozada recorded videos of himself with the victim both before and after the shooting. In one video, taken at 11:20 p.m., Lozada and others, including Reyes, were seen talking and joking.
Just 20 minutes later, another video showed Lozada boasting about the killing with Reyes' body visible behind him.
The investigation, led by the Bay County Sheriff's Office, was thorough and involved multiple law enforcement agencies. The evidence against Lozada was compelling, including the videos found on his phone. Lozada was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. During his trial, which took place in September 2022, prosecutors presented testimony from 18 witnesses and the incriminating videos. The jury found Lozada guilty, and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole under Florida's 10-20-Life Statute.
Another individual, Bryce Cowan, who was 24 years old at the time of his sentencing, was also implicated in the case. Cowan had been with Lozada and Reyes on the night of the murder. Although he did not participate in the actual shooting, Cowan was found to have aided Lozada after the fact. He returned to the scene, picked up Lozada, and dropped him off at home without notifying the authorities. Cowan later pled guilty to accessory to second-degree murder after the fact. Despite pleas from Reyes' family for a harsher sentence, Cowan was sentenced to 10 years of probation in January 2023.
The murder of Justin Reyes was a senseless act of violence that left his family and community devastated. The legal proceedings brought some measure of justice, but the emotional scars for those who knew and loved Justin Reyes remain deep.
