Accident – Death – Obituary News :
WEST PALM BEACH — A 42-year-old Greenacres man has been sentenced to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder in the October 2021 shooting death of a woman outside a bar near Palm Beach International Airport.
Sentence Imposed
Circuit Judge Daliah Weiss handed down the sentence on Feb. 29 following Gary Leconte’s trial. The victim, Vanessa Nieves, was 30 years old at the time of her death. The incident occurred in the parking lot of Foster’s Shak at Congress Avenue and Belvedere Road in suburban West Palm Beach.
Surveillance Video Evidence
Surveillance camera footage showed a man wearing a white mask similar to the one seen in the “Friday the 13th” movies approach Nieves’ vehicle. The man attempted to open the front passenger door before firing a fatal shot. A fingerprint found on the door handle matched Leconte’s.
Relationship History
Investigators discovered that Leconte and Nieves had a volatile dating relationship that had recently ended. Nieves had expressed fear that her ex, known only as “Tyson” to her family, wanted to harm her. Text messages between Nieves and Tyson led investigators to an address associated with Leconte.
Denial of Involvement
After being detained, Leconte admitted to being at the bar but denied any involvement in the shooting. However, surveillance footage and witness testimonies placed him at the scene of the crime.
Justice Served
The sentencing of Gary Leconte brings closure to the tragic loss of Vanessa Nieves. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office worked diligently to bring the perpetrator to justice, highlighting the importance of thorough investigative work in solving violent crimes.
Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Jurors find Palm Beach County man guilty in 2021 homicide near airport
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