Man cleared of stabbing thief to death by 'Stand Your Ground' law is shot dead by stray bullet on his way to work

A man who was controversially cleared of murdering a thief by the Stand Your Ground law has himself been killed as he drove to work.

Greyston Garcia, was shot dead by a stray bullet in a gang shooting as he drove to his job at a convenience store through Liberty City, Florida.

It comes three months after the 26-year-old escaped second-degree murder charges in the fatal stabbing of Pedro Roteta in January.

Garcia saw Roteta and another man stealing the radio from his car outside his Miami home, grabbed a knife and ran downstairs.

Roteta began running and Garcia chased him for a block before stabbing him to death - which was caught on surveillance camera.

In March, the charge against Garcia was dropped even though he failed to call police after the attack, hid his knife and pawned the other stolen radios he took off Roteta, according to the Miami New Times.

But his defense team argued that Garcia was within his rights to use deadly force to defend himself and his property and the judge agreed.

Garcia was shot at 9.30 p.m. on Tuesday when a stray bullet went through the passenger side window and struck him, causing him to crash his truck.

He had been returning to work at a convenience store after a break. He died on the way to hospital.

Police said the bullet most likely came from a gang fight nearby, the Miami Herald reported.

Sixteen-year-old Ronald Dwayne Jones, believed to be involved with the gang shooting, was also killed. No arrests have been made in either death.

Garcia's controversial case further fuelled the debate about the Stand Your Ground law, which was already being scrutinized following the death of Trayvon Martin.

Martin, 17, was shot dead in February by neighbourhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, who claimed he was acting in accordance with the Stand Your Ground law.
DailyMail

RIP, My condolences to the whole family.. This was the nephew of a close friend of mine.

The talk all day was that the gang shot him for revenge...