A jury has found one of the two men charged with murdering Gustavo Cabral guilty.
Cabral was killed more than four years ago after answering an escort ad.
In December 2013 police say Cabral responded to an online ad to meet an escort at Motel 8 in Pompano Beach. When he got there prosecutors say two men, Ilmart Christophe and Jefty Joseph, kidnapped him and took him to a vacant home in Lake Worth where detectives say they eventually shot him to death.
Monday the jury found Joseph guilty of first-degree murder, robbery, kidnapping and grand theft.
Joseph was visibly angry after the verdict and was escorted out of the courtroom after cursing and calling the judge racist. He was later brought back in but had another outburst. The judge suspended all forms of communication, including phone calls, from Joseph.
"My kids will have their first night of sleep knowing that justice is made in this country and the ones who took their father’s life won’t ever have a chance to do it again," said Cabral's widow Christiane Rezende.
Joseph's defense attorney says their focus is now on saving him from the death penalty.
The penalty phase of his trial will take begin February 13.
Christophe's trial will begin at a later date.
Jefty Joseph burst out in court. Very angry -- calls the judge racist.
— Alyssa Hyman (@AlyssaHymanWPTV) January 29, 2018
