Bradenton man sentenced to life in prison for shooting that killed 16-year-old boy
A 32-year-old Bradenton man was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 2020 shooting death of 16-year-old Luis Roblero.
The sentencing comes after Troy Davis Sr. was found guilty in October of second-degree murder, tampering with a witness and harassing a witness following a weeklong trial presided over by Judge Stephen Matthew Whyte at the Manatee County Judicial Center in downtown Bradenton.
On Tuesday afternoon, Davis appeared again in a Manatee County courtroom before Whyte, where he was sentenced to life in prison without parole for both the second-degree murder and harassing a witness charges. For conspiracy to tamper with a witness, Davis was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
All three sentences will run concurrently.
Life in prison is the maximum penalty for second-degree murder in the state of Florida.
Prosecutors say Davis shot and killed the teenager on April 11, 2022, at a party after an argument about broken bottles.
Bradenton man sentenced to life in prison
Deputies responded to the shooting at around 9:49 p.m. that day at the 5900 block of 13th Street Court East, where they found Luis dead from gunshot wounds to the torso and head.
Prosecutors say the shooting happened when Luis and a group of friends approached Davis at the party to confront him about the noise from the bottles.
Witnesses said Luis did so while holding a Draco rifle, a Romanian semi-automatic pistol that takes design inspiration from the AK-47.
Several witnesses said Luis had been openly carrying the gun all night.
The party where the shooting happened was a memorial for Luis’ older brother, Emmanuel “Mango” Roblero, who died two weeks earlier in what detectives say was an accidental shooting.
Multiple witnesses testified during the trial that they either saw Davis or someone who appeared to look like Davis shoot Luis.
Some witnesses initially said that they thought the shooter could have been a Hispanic male and possibly Dominican. A friend of Davis called these witnesses “stupid” in a recorded jail phone call that was played during the trial, with Davis telling his friend that “worked out great for him.”
There were around 40 jail calls that prosecution said appeared to show Davis attempting to pressure witnesses into changing their testimony, resulting in the tampering with a witness and harassing a witness convictions.
Several of these calls were played during the trial, with cell phone data also playing a key part in the state’s case.
Ammunition was also found at the scene of the crime, including five casings that were 7.62 caliber, as well as a casing from a 9mm Luger pistol, according to crime scene analysts. Ammunition matching the 9mm Luger was found inside a bag in a white Kia Forte that prosecutors say Davis drove to the party.
At Tuesday’s sentencing, Davis broke down in tears but maintained his innocence.
“I have been found guilty of this charge, but I’m not the one who took her son’s life,” Davis told the courtroom Tuesday.
He added that he felt bad for the victim’s mother and family.
Before handing down the sentencing, Whyte told Davis he disagreed and that it was “proved beyond a reasonable doubt that you were the person who led to the death of Mr. Roblero.”
Davis will have 30 days to appeal the guilty verdict.
