Florida – A Florida man was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including second-degree murder, in connection with his girlfriend’s death two years ago.
The defendant, later identified as Ricard, 50, pleaded guilty in December of last year and was formally sentenced this week, according to court records.
Prosecutors said the defendant killed AIIison, a 46-year-old woman, after an argument at their home. The woman, the mother of his child, died from multiple gunshot wounds to the back.
The defendant claimed self-defense, telling investigators that the victim allegedly shoved and knocked him to the ground.
He then grabbed his firearm and attempted to ‘put her down’ by shooting her in the leg, but instead shot her multiple times in the back, killing her. The defendant also admitted that the woman was walking away from him when he fired the shots.
The investigation began in April 2023, when the 911 caller informed the dispatcher that they needed medical assistance at the location. The responding officers discovered the woman had multiple gunshot wounds and rushed her to the hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead.
During the investigation, authorities spoke with the defendant’s parent, who reportedly told them that he received a message from his son after he allegedly shot his girlfriend to death.
According to the messages, the defendant claimed that the woman was attacking him and that he needed to fire shots. The man also stated that “he had to put her down, and self-defense was the only option he had”.
During an interview with investigators, the defendant reportedly stated that his girlfriend became intoxicated before engaging in an argument with him. According to him, the victim attacked him and knocked him to the ground.
He then grabbed a gun and planned to shoot her in the leg to make her ‘calm down’. He also admitted that he “accidentally aimed high” when firing multiple shots at her. The man also admitted that he shot the woman while she was walking away from him, and that all of the shots hit her in the back.
