ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The trial has begun for an accused burglar who is also charged with murder.
Deputies responding to a burglary at a home on West Castle Street in February ending up fatally shooting the homeowner. In accordance with Florida law, the defendant was changed with murder because someone died during the commission of a crime, even though he wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger.
When deputies arrived that night, investigators say Jose Luis Lopez was fighting with Cristian Contreras, who they say broke into Lopez’s home. Deputies believed Lopez was armed with a knife and, when he did not respond to commands, they opened fire, killing him.
The investigation later revealed Lopez did not have a knife.
Deputies say Contreras had climbed through a kitchen window to get inside. Because investigators determined Contreras was committing a crime at the time, he was arrested on charges including second-degree felony murder and burglary to an occupied dwelling, among others.
Lopez’s family said he wasn’t responding to deputies’ commands because he didn’t speak English.
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