Man convicted in 2019 killing of cyclist on Rickenbacker Causeway sentenced to life in prison – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale
MIAMI (WSVN) – A 46-year-old man who was convicted last month in the 2019 fatal shooting of a cyclist on the Rickenbacker Causeway was sentenced to life in prison.
Kadel Piedrahita was accused of shooting and killing 48-year-old Alexis Palencia on the causeway on Aug. 14, 2019.
During his sentencing hearing on Thursday, Piedrahita apologized to Palencia’s brother.
Piedrahita’s lawyer during the trial argued that he was defending himself when he shot and killed Palencia.
They said Piedrahita and Palencia had bad blood brewing for up to a year before the crime occurred as they both routinely rode in the same cycling group. It remains unclear what the bad blood brewed from.
The defense said that either Palencia or another cyclist he was with had a gun, but that alleged second gun was never found by police.
Ultimately, after deliberating for a few hours, the jury didn’t buy the defense’s argument and found Piedrahita guilty of all charges.
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