Murder trial of ex-FSU football player Travis Rudolph set to begin Friday

The murder trial of former Florida State standout receiver Travis Rudolph is scheduled to start Friday morning in Palm Beach County.

The case stems from an April 2021 shooting in Rudolph’s hometown of West Palm Beach. The incident began with a fight between Rudolph and his girlfriend, according to the initial probable cause affidavit. Things escalated when four men visited Rudolph’s home to confront him. Rudolph went into his home, returned with a gun and shot at them as they fled. One man was killed.

Rudolph was arrested later that day on one count of first-degree murder with a firearm and three counts of attempted first-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

In a March 2022 hearing, Rudolph argued that he was “in fear for my life” because he was jumped by the group and one of them had a gun, according to the Palm Beach Post. But his attempt to dismiss the case because of stand-your-ground or self-defense immunity was rejected. Circuit Judge Jeffrey Gillen wrote that “the appearance of continuing danger was not so real that a reasonably cautious and prudent person under the same circumstances would have believed that the danger could be avoided only through the use of deadly force.”

Rudolph, now 27, was the Seminoles’ leading receiver in 2015 and ‘16. He caught 18 touchdown passes and still ranks in the top 10 in program history in receptions (153) and receiving yards (2,311).

After FSU, he spent time with the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins and in the Canadian Football League.

• • •

Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook.