MIAMI (WSVN) – Opening statements are set to begin on Tuesday for the trial of a former Miami Hurricanes player accused of killing his former teammate over two decades ago.
The former Hurricanes defensive back, now 40 years old, is accused of killing Bryan Pata, a then-22-year-old defensive lineman and projected top NFL draft pick.
According to officials, Pata was shot in the back of the head outside his Kendall apartment after team practice in Nov. 2006.
The tragic incident left his family on a decades-long quest for justice.
“Before he sleeps, he made sure to call mommy,” said Pata’s mother, Jeanette.
Investigators said that the case went cold for years until 2021, when new evidence came to light as a key witness, who was believed to be dead, turned up alive, leading to Jones’s arrest.
Prosecutors said that he rejected a plea deal and has spent five years behind bars, maintaining his innocence.
Prosecutors and the defense will get ready to share their versions of what happened on the day Pata was killed on Tuesday during their opening statements.
Had Jones taken the plea deal, he would have spent 15 years in jail. However, now Jones faces life imprisonment if convicted.
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