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The Cuban Eduardo Felipe Labrada Machado, accused of shooting and killing police officer David Jewell from Edgewater, Florida, in 2025, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder this Monday and was
Labrada Machado's sentence, 25 years old, was the result of a negotiated agreement with the state attorney's office to avoid the death penalty for the homicide he committed last September, reported news media. If he had been found guilty at trial, the Cuban would have faced the death penalty.
At 1:30 p.m. this Monday, in the courtroom of the S. James Foxman Justice Center in Daytona Beach, Volusia County, the judicial hearing for Labrada Machado began, during which he changed his initial statement and admitted his guilt for the crime. The sentence was handed down by Circuit Judge Elizabeth Blackburn.
Initially, against Labrada Machado, based on two aggravating factors that they intended to prove beyond a reasonable doubt: that the murder of Jewell was "particularly heinous, cruel, or ruthless" and was "committed in a cold, calculated, and premeditated manner, without any pretense of moral or legal justification," as stated in the notice of intent they submitted.
The crime occurred in the afternoon of September 15, 2025, at a Circle K gas station located at the intersection of Ocean Shore Boulevard and Wisteria Drive, in Ormond-by-the-Sea, where Labrada Machado worked as a clerk.
Officer Jewell, 45 years old, was off-duty, out of uniform, and unarmed when he entered the convenience store to buy food.
Labrada Machado, who was working at the business, went out to the parking lot, took a Glock model 20 handgun in 10 mm caliber from his vehicle—purchased just two hours earlier at a gun shop in Daytona Beach for $729—and returned inside to shoot Jewell in the back.
The Volusia County sheriff, Mike Chitwood, described the attack in stark terms: "He approaches David from behind and shoots him multiple times in the head. When David falls to the ground, the gun jams. He stands over him, clears the jam, and then fires another seven or eight shots."
In total, Labrada Machado fired 24 times at Jewell in less than two minutes, which Chitwood described as a "targeted assassination."
The accused confessed to the crime and told investigators that he had had "a bad day" and that he had already thought about shooting Jewell, whom he recognized from having served him at the store on previous occasions. He also mentioned that they had had arguments, although he did not provide any further details.
Relatives of the accused informed the authorities that he had been diagnosed with a mental health disorder and claimed to hear voices, although no prior homicidal behavior had been detected.
During the sentencing hearing, Labrada Machado responded in Spanish through an interpreter, saying "I swear" when asked if he promised to tell the truth and "yes" to all questions regarding his understanding of the agreement.
He showed no emotion at any moment and did not address the victim's family.
The widow of the officer, Elizabeth Jewell, her son Bobby, her niece, and colleagues from the Edgewater Police Department provided impact statements in court.
Elizabeth Jewell described her husband as her best friend and partner: "We had a unique love in life, the kind of love that people spend their lives searching for."
He emphasized that he was "a man who lived with the purpose of making a difference in people's lives every day, and he took pride in that. That kindness was taken from us when he was murdered."
Then, turning to the condemned, he stated: "Your life has no meaning, and it will remain so until you exhale your last breath."
The officer's son, Robert Jewell, read Bible verses: "God has a plan for all of us, and whether we live short or long lives, we all lead meaningful lives."
The courtroom was filled with Edgewater police officers, the Volusia County sheriff, and his command staff.
The department even closed its lobby at 11:30 in the morning so that its officers could attend the hearing.
Parallel to the criminal process, the Jewell family filed a $20 million civil lawsuit against Circle K Stores Inc. and the store manager, claiming that the company was warned by authorities that Labrada Machado was a "dangerous individual" with a history of illegal weapon use, and that it ignored those warnings by keeping him employed.
The Chief of Police of Edgewater, Charles Geiger, summarized the impact that Jewell's death has left on his department: "We experienced it. We continue to experience it. I don’t think anyone will fully recover, but it’s important to remember his legacy and what he would have wanted."
Officer David Jewell dedicated years of his life to public service, joining the Edgewater Police Department in 2023, and previously worked in the communications unit of the Volusia County Sheriff's Office and in the Lake Helen Police Department.
The crime caused shock in Florida, where the press described it as one of the most violent attacks against a law enforcement officer in recent years.
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