Malav M. Desai, a 29-year-old store clerk of Indian ethnicity, tragically lost his life on May 19, 2015, in St. Augustine, Florida. Desai was working his regular shift at the Tobacco and Beverage Express on Masters Drive when a 16-year-old male entered the store with a handgun around 2 p.m. The assailant, who had a handkerchief over his face, demanded money from Desai. Despite complying with the demand, Desai was shot in the face and killed instantly. This violent crime shocked the local community, which is generally unaccustomed to such incidents.
The suspects, identified as 16-year-old Sergio Morgan-Wideman and 18-year-old Andre Jerome Robinson Jr., were apprehended after a high-speed chase that spanned multiple counties. Morgan-Wideman, who was the shooter, was later convicted of first-degree murder, armed robbery, and two counts of aggravated assault. He received two life sentences for the murder and robbery charges, with the murder sentence subject to review after 25 years due to his age at the time of the crime. Robinson, who drove the getaway vehicle, pleaded guilty to manslaughter with a firearm and robbery with a weapon, receiving a sentence of 22 years in prison.
Desai had recently moved to St. Augustine from Jacksonville and was looking forward to his upcoming wedding. His death left a profound impact on his fiancée, who described her immense grief and the struggle to cope with the loss. The community held a prayer service in his memory, and his family traveled from India to attend his funeral.
