Coral Springs firefighter-paramedic murder case ends with life sentences for two killers
Coral Springs, Florida – Two men convicted in the killing of Coral Springs firefighter-paramedic Christopher Randazzo have been sentenced to life in prison, bringing a grim chapter of a 2019 murder case to a close this week.
A Broward County court handed down the sentences to Torrey Holston and Jose Garcia Romero after both were found guilty of first-degree murder in May. The jury concluded that the two men were responsible for the fatal shooting of the 39-year-old Randazzo during what investigators described as a violent robbery near the beach.
Randazzo was found shot in the back of the head after he refused to give the passcode to his smartphone, according to police accounts presented during the case. Prosecutors said the refusal came after the men had already stolen several of his belongings during the encounter.
Although both Holston and Romero were convicted of murder, they were acquitted of a second charge involving possession of a firearm or discharging a gun. At the time, the judge noted that while the jury was unanimous about their involvement in the crime, it “perhaps could not find beyond a reasonable doubt” who had actually fired the weapon.
A third individual connected to the case, Marco Rico, previously entered a guilty plea to accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. His involvement, along with testimony from his girlfriend, played a key role in reconstructing the events of that night.
During the May trial, Rico’s girlfriend told jurors she had been with the group on the night of the incident. She testified that she and Rico separated from Holston and Romero after deciding to have sex on the beach, at which point the two men later encountered Randazzo.
Prosecutors said Randazzo was intoxicated and lying on the ground near a beachfront hotel on El Mar Drive in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea when he was approached. The men allegedly stole his red Nike shoes, iPhone, car keys, and wallet, which contained $55.
What began as a robbery quickly escalated into a fatal confrontation. According to trial testimony, after taking Randazzo’s belongings, Holston and Romero drove away but later realized they could not unlock the stolen iPhone without its passcode.
They returned to the scene and confronted Randazzo again, this time demanding the code. When he refused to comply, prosecutors said Holston shot him in the back of the head. The victim died from the gunshot wound, marking the violent end of an encounter that investigators say was driven by theft and frustration over the locked device.
Rico’s girlfriend also testified that after the shooting, Holston appeared to boast about the killing, saying he “caught a body.” That statement became a key piece of testimony during the trial, offering insight into the aftermath of the crime as described by witnesses.
The case has drawn attention in South Florida due to both the brutality of the crime and the victim’s role as a firefighter-paramedic, a public service profession often associated with saving lives rather than losing one in such violent circumstances.
With the life sentences now imposed, both Holston and Romero will spend the rest of their lives in prison for their roles in the murder. The ruling marks the final major legal step in a case that began with a beachside robbery and ended with a deadly shooting that shocked the local community.
While the courtroom proceedings have concluded, the details presented throughout the trial continue to underscore how quickly a late-night encounter escalated into a fatal act of violence, leaving behind a lasting impact on Randazzo’s family, colleagues, and the broader Coral Springs community.
