It took 15 years, but justice is coming for the Pata family.
On Thursday, an arrest was made in the murder of former University of Miami football player Bryan Pata, who was shot to death nearly 15 years ago outside his apartment.
Miami-Dade Police confirmed Rashaun Jones, who was a teammate with Pata from 2004 to 2006, was arrested.
Detectives say the 22-year-old Pata was walking from his car toward the stairs at the apartment building On November 7th, 2006 when he was shot in the back of the head. Jones was a likely suspect, but no charges had been filed until Thursday.
“We believe that this person was waiting for Bryan Pata. We don’t know exactly where this person was positioned, but there are trees and shrubbery and concrete walls in close proximity,” Miami-Dade Police Det. Miguel Dominguez said in a 2017 story with NBC 6 reporter Laura Rodriguez.
“His girlfriend at the time was inside the apartment. She thought she heard his voice and when she went outside Bryan Pata was discovered deceased,” Dominguez said.
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After finishing his prep career at Miami Central High School, the defensive lineman chose Miami over schools like Florida and Oklahoma. He had 13 tackles and two sacks his senior season and was on a watch list for the award as the nation’s top defensive end.
“He wanted to make it to the NFL and make my mother proud and he wanted to help his family,” brother Edrick Pata told NBC 6 in 2017. “I believe it was more so the jealousy, a lot of jealousy. The way Bryan carried himself, he was very bold, he was confident in what he did, he was confident he was going to graduate college, he was confident he was going to get drafted to the NFL.”
