Final two of four suspects sentenced in 2019 murder of Ocala man found in Morriston
Levy County Sheriff's Office (LCSO)
On Nov. 7, 2024, two men were sentenced by Eighth Judicial Circuit Court Judge William Davis, as the result of guilty verdicts in a murder trial. Christian Cardona-Cirilo (above left) received a 30 year sentence for second degree murder, and Omar Rodriquez-Ortiz (above right) was sentenced to life for first degree murder, and 30 years for conspiracy to commit first degree murder, to be served consecutively with the life sentence. Both men had rejected all offers for plea sentencing, choosing to take their case to trial. The two-week trial began in late October 2024, and was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Glenn Bryan and Daniel Owen.
In August 2019, the Levy County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) responded to a citizen’s report of finding a deceased person along the side of roadway in Morriston, Florida. Deputies and detectives responded to the scene to collect evidence and start an investigation. Detectives determined the subject had been murdered at a different location, and his remains had been dumped into the ditch in Levy County, Florida. The identity of the deceased male victim was not known initially, but was soon identified as 33 year-old Jafet Padin Rodriguez, of Ocala, Florida.
The investigation gained traction when a burned vehicle was discovered in Ocala. During the investigation, the LCSO joined forces with the Ocala Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Gainesville Field Office, which led to a suspect list being developed. The cooperative efforts of these investigating agencies led to four arrests in connection with this murder, several months after the investigation was launched.
According to the LCSO, the victim, Jafet Padin Rodriguez, was murdered because of a mistaken identity; he was believed to be someone else. The investigation determined that he was murdered by Omar Rodriquez-Ortiz, 43; Christian Cardona-Cirilo, 32; Kesia Mundo, 41; and Jesse Torres, 36 (their current ages). All four defendants were held in the Levy County Detention Center awaiting trial or sentencing.
Assistant State Attorney’s Glenn Bryan and Daniel Owen of the 8th Judicial State Attorney’s Office worked for years preparing this case for trial. Defendants Kesia Mundo and Jesse Torres accepted State-negotiated plea offers. Mundo received 15 years, and Torres received 20 years, both charged with conspiracy to commit first degree murder.
"The work performed by these detectives, and the skillful presentation of the evidence by Assistant State Attorney’s Glenn Bryan and Daniel Owen, led to these four predators being removed from our communities," said Levy County Sheriff Bobby McCallum. "Detectives began their investigation with the unidentified remains of a Hispanic male who was thrown into a ditch. They worked diligently to identify the suspects and take them into custody. Our attorney’s worked tirelessly assembling the case to present to this jury, who unanimously voted for the conviction. The efforts of my detectives and our Assistant State Attorneys hopefully will bring a sense of justice and peace to the family of the victim in this case."