Last of 5 men accused in 2019 murder of PCB man found guilty, faces 20 years to life in prison

Lori Steineck, The News Herald
·2 min read
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Andre Bivins, right, and his attorney, John Edward Eagen, listen as the verdict is read. Jurors deliberated 25 minutes before finding Bivins guilty in the March 2019 death of Edward Ross of Panama City Beach.
Andre Bivins, right, and his attorney, John Edward Eagen, listen as the verdict is read. Jurors deliberated 25 minutes before finding Bivins guilty in the March 2019 death of Edward Ross of Panama City Beach.

PANAMA CITY — A 14th Judicial Circuit Court jury deliberated for 25 minutes before finding a Tallahassee man guilty in the March 2019 shooting death of a Panama City Beach man.

Andre Bivins, 32, was convicted of first-degree felony murder and attempted armed robbery.

Bivins is facing 20 years to life in prison, and although the jury found Bivins guilty, his attorney, John Edward Eagen, pointed out that jurors did not find him to be the one who killed Edward Ross.

Panama City Beach murder trial continues: Another gunman testifies victim grabbed gun

Background reporting: Trial begins for last of 5 men accused in botched robbery that led to PCB man's death in 2019

Prosecutor Mark Graham, left, points to Andre Bivins, right, who is seated by attorney John Edward Eagen, center. Graham is telling jurors that the evidence in the shooting death of Edward Ross, on the TV screen, points to Bivins as one of three men responsible for Ross' death.
Prosecutor Mark Graham, left, points to Andre Bivins, right, who is seated by attorney John Edward Eagen, center. Graham is telling jurors that the evidence in the shooting death of Edward Ross, on the TV screen, points to Bivins as one of three men responsible for Ross' death.

Bivins was one of five men charged in connection with the death of Ross, who lived on Sunset Avenue. Ross was shot to death in a home-invasion style robbery when three men, including Bivins opened fire.

Joshua Campbell, who was one of the other gunman who shot Ross, testified Tuesday that Bivins fired the first shot, but the gun misfired. Campbell said Ross went to grab the gun and Bivins fired again, shooting Ross in the stomach.

Campbell and Abel Ortiz followed up with a series of gunshots before the trio ran from Ross' home.

Authorities alleged that Jorge Perez had arranged for Ross, a known marijuana dealer, to be robbed of marijuana and money, but when Bivins, Joshua Campbell and Abel Ortiz opened fire, the robbery was botched. Campbell and Ortiz also have been convicted for their roles in Ross' death. Perez was found not guilty.

A Bay County Sheriff's deputy takes fingerprints from Andre Bivins after Bivins was convicted in the March 2019 shooting death of Edward Ross, a Panama City Beach man.
A Bay County Sheriff's deputy takes fingerprints from Andre Bivins after Bivins was convicted in the March 2019 shooting death of Edward Ross, a Panama City Beach man.

Jorge Hernandez, the teenage driver, was also convicted.

Bivins was the last to face trial.

No sentencings have yet taken place.

Bivins' sentencing has been set for Aug. 9.

A seven-woman, five-man jury deliberated and returned the verdict that ended the two-day trial.

"We appreciate the jury looking at the evidence and the hard work they put in," said Prosecutor Mark Graham.

Eagen said it was "a difficult case with difficult facts and you try to do the very best you can."

Bivins was also facing trial on a home-invasion robbery that happened a week prior to the Ross homicide and involved most of the same suspects.

But the prosecutor asked Judge Shonna Young Gay to consider the cases as having run concurrent as the sentence in this trial is more harsh.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Andre Bivins found guilty in Panama City Beach murder of Edward Ross