No Bond For Alleged Facebook Murderer

Derek Medina and his attorneys were in court in Miami-Dade to argue for his release

A Miami-Dade judge decided Tuesday to keep holding without bond the South Miami man who allegedly killed his wife and posted a photo of her body on Facebook.

Miami-Dade Judge Yvonne Colodny cited the nature and circumstances of the case and the weight of the evidence as she gave her ruling Tuesday afternoon.

Medina appeared in court with his attorneys, who argued for his release during a bail hearing.

Medina, 31, is charged with second-degree murder, shooting a deadly missile and child neglect without great bodily harm in the Aug. 8 shooting of wife Jennifer Alfonso. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder and child neglect charges but hasn't entered a plea for the shooting a deadly missile charge.


His trial is expected to begin in November.

Jonathan Grossman, the lead detective on the case, testified Tuesday about finding Alfonso's body and his interview with Medina.

"We asked him if he had taken a photograph and he advised us he had posted it on Facebook," Grossman said.

Alfonso's mother, father and other family members attended the hearing.

Medina told detectives he shot Alfonso, 26, in self-defense after she continually punched him and pulled a knife on him, according to a sworn police statement released last week.

"Cause I'm not a killer. And it was self-defense," Medina said, according to the statement. "I'm very -- I honor my country, I honor my state, I honor my city of South Miami. I do not feel that I'm guilty and I feel like this was self-defense."


According to a police search warrant, Medina took the knife away from Alfonso and put it back into a kitchen drawer before the shooting.

During Tuesday's hearing, Medina's lawyers indicated he was in fear for his life and referred to a diary Alfonso wrote in which she discussed becoming violent with Medina.

The judge agreed to allow the diary to be presented in the trial on Tuesday.

A medical examiner's report, also released last week, said Medina repeatedly shot Alfonso at point-blank range as she may have been kneeling and trying to shield her face.


According to the warrant, Medina admitted to posting the gruesome photo and an admission on his Facebook page before he surrendered to police.

"Im going to prison or death sentence for killing my wife love you guys miss you guys take care Facebook people you will see me in the news," he wrote. "My wife was punching me and I am not going to stand anymore with the abuse so I did what I did I hope u understand me."

Alfonso's family members listened in court as Grossman read aloud Medina's now-infamous Facebook posting.

Medina said he posted the photo to notify Alfonso's family, according to the sworn statement.
 

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