Florida Keys felony defendant skips town last day of trial, state attorney says

A man charged with a series of felonies from a 2024 incident in which he’s accused of severely beating a sheriff’s deputy, stealing his patrol car, carjacking another vehicle and leading police on a high-speed chase in the Upper Florida Keys skipped town the last day of his trial as jurors deliberated his case, the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office said.

Read more Florida Keys felony defendant skips town last day of trial, state attorney says

Armando Lopez, 53, faces life in prison on a series of felony charges, including attempted murder, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, domestic battery, grand theft auto, fleeing and eluding and burglary.

A six-member jury Friday afternoon convicted him on all counts after deliberating for less than an hour. But whether Lopez knows it or not isn’t clear.

When he was supposed to appear at the Plantation Courthouse Friday morning, he was a no-show.

His Public Defender’s Office attorney told Judge James Morgan she received a call from Lopez’s father, who he was staying with, who said his whereabouts were unknown, Chief Assistant Monroe County State Attorney Joseph Mansfield told the Miami Herald.

Lopez was free on $460,000 bond during the trial, which began Tuesday. He’s now a fugitive.

Prosecutors Madeline Thompson and Melissa Simmons had strong evidence against Lopez, including Sgt. James Hager’s dramatic body camera footage, which showed him being battered, and Mansfield theorizes Lopez feared a conviction was likely.

“We convicted an empty chair,” Mansfield said.

Lopez’s charges stem from a Dec. 21, 2024, domestic violence call. Hager responded to a house on Palm Drive in Key Largo around 4 p.m., and Lopez was beating a woman with whom he’d had an on-and-off-again relationship. Lopez then attacked Hager, grabbing his holster, and the two men fought over the deputy’s service weapon, according to the arrest report.

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Lopez then ran away, and Hager fired his Taser stun gun at him, but the shock didn’t incapacitate him, according to the sheriff’s office.

Lopez hopped in Hager’s car and drove off. He eventually got out of the patrol car and encountered a woman in a Kia SUV at U.S. 1 and Alhambra Drive, around mile marker 102 on the Overseas Highway. He forced her out of the car and stole it, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies and Florida Highway Patrol troopers caught up with Lopez, who sped away at speeds of up to 100 mph, according to his arrest report. He crashed into the back of a Volkswagen around mile marker 104 and lost control of the Kia, the sheriff’s office said.

Judge Morgan issued a no-bond bench warrant for Lopez Friday. Monroe County Public Defender Robert Lockwood declined to comment when reached by the Herald.

The sheriff’s office said deputies, state and federal law enforcement are all searching for Lopez.

“Lopez should be considered dangerous, and the public is asked to report any tips regarding his location by calling 911 or the Sheriff’s Office at 305 289-2351,” the agency said in a statement.

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This is a developing story and will be updated.

This story was originally published October 2, 2026 at 3:41 PM.