Key witness in Miami murder case found alive in Louisville, after prosecutors said he was dead

Prosecutors in the Florida case have repeatedly claimed the witness was dead until ESPN reporters knocked on his door in Louisville and found him alive.

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A crucial witness in a 2006 murder case involving former Miami Hurricanes football players has been found alive, living in an apartment in Louisville, according to ESPN.

81-year-old Paul Conner was located by ESPN reporters at his Louisville apartment just weeks before the scheduled trial of Rashaun Jones, who is accused of killing teammate Bryan Pata in November 2006.

Prosecutors told a Florida judge as recently as July that Conner was dead, according to reporting from ESPN, leading the court to allow his previous testimony to be used at trial. However, ESPN reporters found Conner alive and unaware that anyone from Miami was looking for him.

The case background

Bryan Pata, a defensive lineman expected to be drafted into the NFL, was shot once in the head at his apartment complex in 2006. Conner heard a "pop" he told investigators at the time, and saw someone leaving the area, later picking Jones out of a police lineup.

Jones was arrested in 2021, 15 years after the murder, despite being an early suspect. He has been in custody for four years and faces a potential life sentence if convicted.

What happens next

Jones' attorney told ESPN the situation is full of "bald-faced lies" and questioned the prosecution's handling of evidence. After answering his door in Louisville, Conner, now 81, told ESPN his memory "comes and goes" and he doesn't recall the details of what happened.

The discovery raises questions about the upcoming trial, scheduled to begin October 6. The case has been plagued by lost evidence and investigative missteps over nearly two decades, frustrating the victim's family who are seeking closure, according to reporting by ESPN.

"It's good that we're actually going to put it behind us," he said. "It's constantly on our minds... we just got to be ready for it and know what to expect and be able to handle it", Edwin Pata, Bryan's brother, told ESPN.

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