Alex Lopez is charged in the 2024 shooting death of Raied “Ray” Shihadeh during a robbery at a Picciola Road superette.
TAVARES, Fla. — A Lake County jury began hearing the case Tuesday against Alex Lopez, accused of shooting store clerk Raied “Ray” Shihadeh during a robbery at a Leesburg convenience store in May 2024. Jury selection wrapped up Monday, and prosecutors said they are not seeking the death penalty.
The trial marks the first public accounting of a killing that rattled Leesburg and led to a weeks-long search across Central Florida. Investigators say store surveillance captured the gunman inside the Fast Stop Superette on Picciola Road as Shihadeh worked a night shift. Lopez, who was arrested a month later at a motel in Osceola County, has pleaded not guilty. The proceedings move into testimony after opening statements, with jurors expected to hear about the robbery, the flight that followed, and the video evidence collected by police.
According to police and court records outlined in pretrial filings, Shihadeh, 51, was shot on the night of May 29, 2024, at the Fast Stop Superette east of U.S. 441. He was flown to HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, where he died. Investigators say in-store cameras recorded the encounter and depict the assailant jumping the counter before fleeing. At times after the shooting, family members said Shihadeh had been on a FaceTime call with his wife. “This case is about a robbery that turned into a killing,” the prosecutor told jurors, adding that the state would rely on video, witness timelines and forensic collection from the store. Defense lawyers told the panel to scrutinize identification and the timeline of events.
Lopez, 26, of Wildwood, was arrested June 26, 2024, at a Kissimmee-area hotel after nearly a month on the run, investigators said. He is charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and use of a firearm during a felony. Police later arrested his mother and sister on accusations they helped hide him; a girlfriend turned herself in on related charges weeks later. Authorities have not publicly detailed an amount of cash taken, and they have not said whether the weapon believed to be used in the shooting was recovered. Prosecutors confirmed they are not pursuing capital punishment, meaning the top count carries a possible life sentence if jurors convict.
Records from Leesburg police describe a fast-moving investigation built on surveillance footage, physical evidence collected at the store and tips that tracked the suspect through Lake and Osceola counties. Detectives canvassed nearby businesses on Picciola Road and pulled additional video to map a route away from the superette. Lake County deputies and a state violent-crimes task force ultimately coordinated the arrest at the motel. Court records indicate forensic technicians processed clothing and items seized after the arrest; details of DNA or ballistics testing are expected to be addressed in testimony. The defense has not signaled whether Lopez will take the stand.
Shihadeh, a father of five known by friends as “Ray,” ran the small shop and often covered late hours, relatives have said. A memorial of candles and flowers grew outside the storefront in the days after the shooting, and the store’s metal shutters stayed down for several days. On Monday afternoon, a handful of supporters in the gallery wore pins bearing his photo. “Ray was the heart of this place,” said a longtime customer outside the courthouse. “We want to see the process play out.” A clerk from a neighboring business described added lighting and cameras many stores installed after the killing.
With a jury seated, the court set opening statements for Tuesday, followed by the state’s first witnesses. Trial days are scheduled through the week in Lake County’s Tavares courthouse. If the jury returns a guilty verdict on the murder count, a separate penalty phase will not be required because prosecutors took the death penalty off the table. If jurors acquit or are hung, the court could set further hearings. For now, the case moves into testimony, with the first store employees and investigators expected to appear in the afternoon session.
By late Tuesday, the panel had heard competing roadmaps from the prosecution and defense. The next milestone is the start of witness testimony, expected after the lunch recess, with scheduling updates to be announced in court.
Author note: Last updated December 16, 2025.