Facts of the Crime:
Alex Pagan was convicted for the murders of six-year-old Michael Lynn, his father, Freddy Jones, and the attempted murders of his mother, Latasha Jones, and his 18-month-old brother, Lafayette Jones. Pagan and Willie Graham had previously broken into the victim’s house on January 23, 1993 and taken clothes, jewelry and cash, which were later found in Pagan’s possession. Pagan and Graham had learned of the possibility of obtaining an additional $12,000 to $13,000 in the same house, and they planned on returning to get the money.
On February 23, 1993, Pagan and Graham, both wearing ski masks, entered the victim’s master bedroom by breaking the sliding glass door in the room where Freddy and Latasha, and their baby (Lafayette) were sleeping. Pagan and Graham demanded that they give them the money. When Freddy denied having any money, one of the intruders began searching the house. He found Michael Lynn in another room and took him to the master bedroom. He then took Latasha at gun point and searched the rest of the house. When he couldn’t find the money, he took Latasha back into the bedroom and hit her with the gun.
One of the intruders then began looking in a closet when the door light turned on. He closed the door immediately fearing that the family had seen his face. Latasha testified that one of the gunmen’s masks was partially off, and she could tell he had white skin. One of them then took the keys to the victim’s car and told the other to go start the car.
The gunman, Pagan, then tied everybody up. He shot Freddy once and then said to Michael Lynn, “Shorty, if you live through this, don’t grow up to be like me.” He then fired several more shots. Latasha was shot but did not die. She testified to having heard seven or eight shots.
After Pagan and Graham left, Latasha kicked out of her restraints and called out to Freddy and Michael. When she did not receive a response out of either of them, she grabbed her baby and ran out of the house to find help. Freddy died from a gunshot wound to the head, and Michael Lynn died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head with one in the buttocks.
On February 27, 1993, Pagan was arrested when search and arrest warrants were issued by the Circuit Court Judge, Honorable Sheldon M. Shapiro, for the murders of Freddy and Michael Lynn Jones and the attempted murder of Latasha and Lafayette Jones. Another Circuit Court Judge, Honorable Lawrence Korda, found that probable cause existed and that Pagan should be held to answer to charges surrounding the murders and attempted murders. Latasha Jones testified that their house had been burglarized on January 23, 1993. She said that about $26,000 worth of clothes, jewelry and cash had been taken. Some of these items were later found in Pagan’s residence. Other items were found to have been taken by Graham to be pawned at two pawn shops.
Antonio Quezada and Keith Jackson, friends of the defendants, testified that they saw both Pagan and Graham wearing jewelry that Latasha identified as being taken from her house on January 23, 1993. Quezada also testified that he dropped Pagan and Graham off at the Jones’ house the night of the murders, and Pagan told him that he was going to kill everyone inside. He also said that, after the murders Pagan came to his house and told him they had killed everyone. Jackson testified that Pagan also admitted to killing everyone, dismantling the gun and scattering the pieces all over Miami.
Pagan was sentenced to death in Broward County on October 15, 1998.
Co-defendant information:
Willie Graham (AKA: Shaikwam) DC# 194678 was charged and found guilty of the same six counts as Pagan (CC# 93-3648). Graham received two life sentences for counts I and II and was sentenced to 30 years for counts III, IV, V and VI. All sentences are to be served concurrently. He is currently incarcerated at Hardee Correctional Institution.
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