MIAMI – A man found guilty of shooting and killing a bicyclist on the Rickenbacker Causeway in August 2019 has been sentenced to life in prison.
On September 16, a jury found Kadel Piedrahita guilty of second-degree murder in the death of 48-year-old Alex Palencia. Piedrahita had claimed the shooting was self-defense. He was also found guilty of aggravated assault with a firearm. For that, he was sentenced to five years.
His attorneys have 30 days to file an appeal.
Police said Piedrahita shot Palencia during an early morning ride on the causeway on August 14 and it was caught on cell phone video.
Just after 6 a.m., Piedrahita recorded himself on Facebook Live riding a motorcycle and following a group of cyclists. Piedrahita reportedly often rode with cyclists to ensure their safety. Suddenly, there’s a confrontation and the phone goes down. Gunfire is then heard.
Palencia was taken to the Ryder Trauma Center where he died.
During Piedrahita’s trial, prosecutors said the scuffle and shooting were the result of a feud that had developed days earlier.
Palencia’s daughter said her father and Piedrahita knew each other. She said her father had sold Piedrahita some type of insurance and Piedrahita went on an angry tirade on Facebook, calling her father a con man.
