An Orlando man has been found guilty of murdering another man with whom he was walking at a local apartment complex.
Willie Shade, 35, was found guilty by a jury of first degree murder with a firearm and attempted first degree murder with a firearm on Wednesday, November 15, following a three-day trial.
The verdict comes less than 10 months after 26-year-old Zedekiah M. Lafayette was found dead by apparent gunshot wounds.
The fatal shooting took place at the Maxwell Terrace Apartments, which are located at 3200 W Colonial Drive, on January 20, 2023. Upon arrival, police located the body of Lafayette, who was pronounced deceased shortly thereafter.
According to law enforcement authorities, Lafayette was walking with 34-year-old Willie Shade and another individual when Shade threw him to the ground, shot him, and ran away.
During trial, witnesses provided “crucial testimony” in recounting their observations from the day of the shooting, according to a statement issued by State Attorney Andrew A. Bain of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court.
One witness testified that they responded to the location after hearing gunshots and, upon arriving at the scene, were shot at by Shade.
A second witness testified to seeing Shade in the company of Lafayette and a third individual before later seeing Lafayette on the ground.
Surveillance video also captured Shade at the scene and showed him running away after Lafayette was shot.
Shade received a mandatory sentence of life in prison after qualifying as a prison release reoffender. At the time of the shooting, he was on probation from a 10-year prison stint for attempted second-degree murder.