Jurors recommend death penalty for Miami Lakes love triangle killer – NBC 6 South Florida

A jury has recommended the death penalty for a man found guilty of murder in a complicated love triangle more than a decade ago.

Eight of the 12 jurors on Thursday recommended the death penalty instead of life in prison for Ysrael Granda, who was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with the death of 42-year-old Jose Soto in Miami Lakes in 2012.

From his prison cell, Granda ordered the killing of his girlfriend’s new partner, Soto.

“He planned it. He was the mastermind,” said prosecutor Joshua Weintraub. “If it hadn’t been for Ysrael Granda, Jose Soto would still be alive today. That’s why he should receive the harshest punishment.”

A love triangle ended in death when a man ordered the murder of his girlfriend’s new partner from prison. Now that man could be sentenced to death after a jury found him guilty of murder. NBC6’s Christian Colón reports

Although Granda was not the shooter, prosecutors said the killing was cold-blooded and calculated and that it was manipulative. It was not the first time he had been convicted of ordering others to commit crimes for him.

“He breaks rules, he craves attention, he has a need for constant stimulation. That’s what this defendant is all about,” Weintraub said.

Granda’s lawyers described a man with a traumatic childhood – a victim of assault who suffers from brain problems. The defense blamed the girlfriend – Lisiana Quintero – who pleaded guilty and received 13 years in prison for helping to murder her new boyfriend, Soto.

“While she’s fucking Soto, she’s also planning his murder,” said defense attorney Bruce Fleischer. “She’s cold, calculating and premeditated. Why would she plan a murder if she still loves Israel?”

The shooter, Jonathan Rico, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, but not of premeditated murder. However, after being acquitted of the murder charge, Rico escaped the death penalty and now awaits his own sentencing.

A jury in Miami-Dade has long since stopped recommending the death penalty. The judge has the final say. Another hearing on this is scheduled for the end of this year.