Who is Johnathan Quiles? Florida man found guilty of murdering his 16-year-old niece who was pregnant with his baby
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: In a significant development, a man from Jacksonville, Florida, Johnathan Quiles was convicted of murder on September 21 in connection with the tragic death of his own 16-year-old niece Iyana Sawyer.
As per News 4 Jax, Sawyer went missing after leaving her Jacksonville high school in December 2018.
What did Johnathan Quiles do?
Johnathan Quiles not only impregnated his niece but also murdered her brutally.
A significant piece of evidence presented during the trial was chilling surveillance footage that shed light on Johnathan Quiles' activities on the day of Iyana's disappearance.
At approximately 11 am, surveillance video from Ace Pick-A-Part, where Quiles was employed, captured him leaving the premises in a red minivan.
He returned about an hour and a half later, and the footage showed him using machinery to move a vehicle out of the line of sight of surveillance cameras.
Prosecutors asserted that Iyana was likely killed on the day of her disappearance, and they accused Quiles of placing her lifeless body in a car and subsequently disposing of it.
Their theory received support from Quiles' brother Joe, who testified during the trial.
Joe recounted that the perpetrator initially attempted to strangle his niece to death but ultimately resorted to shooting her dead.
What are the charges against Johnathan Quiles?
Quiles faced additional convictions apart from kidnapping, including sexual battery and the first-degree murder of Iyana's unborn child.
The verdict was reached on the sixth day of the trial, which featured emotional testimonies and a substantial body of evidence against Quiles.
The prosecution alleged that the father of the child Iyana was carrying was Quiles' and further charged him with having sexual relations with a minor, given that Iyana was a teenager at the time of her disappearance.
The state has pursued the death penalty in this case, and the jury will reconvene on September 25 to commence the penalty phase.
John Phillips, the attorney representing the Sawyer family in their wrongful death lawsuit against Quiles, issued a statement in response to the verdict, marking a significant moment in this tragic and challenging legal case.
“Today, a nearly 5-year nightmare ends with another measure of justice. We thank the jury, law enforcement and judge, as well as all of our friends and family who reached out when we needed it most," he said in the statement.
"Johnathan Quiles has now been found guilty of murder and will go back before a jury to determine his fate on earth, but he chose to end Iyana’s young life,” Phillips said.
What happened during the course of Johnathan Quiles' trial?
According to News 4 Jax, during the course of the trial, Johnathan Quiles' defense team made two separate requests for acquittal.
Their argument rested on the contention that the prosecutors lacked sufficient evidence to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Quiles was responsible for the murder of his niece, Iyana Sawyer.
They further emphasized the absence of concrete evidence to confirm her death, given that her body had never been located and there was no identifiable crime scene or blood evidence.
However, the judge overseeing the case denied both motions for acquittal, indicating that the prosecution's case had presented sufficient evidence and met the legal threshold required to proceed with the trial.
This decision meant that the trial would continue, allowing the jury to weigh the evidence and make a determination regarding Quiles' guilt or innocence in connection with the alleged crimes.
However, the testimony Quiles' brother and that of the general manager of the Otis Road Landfill played a pivotal role in the trial, as it provided significant evidence related to Iyana Sawyer's case.
The landfill manager confirmed in court that personal belongings belonging to Iyana, including items such as underwear and high school textbooks, were indeed recovered within the landfill.
The discovery of Iyana's personal items at the landfill was a crucial piece of evidence that supported the prosecution's case, as it suggested a connection between her and the landfill.
Where was the victim Iyana Sawyer last seen?
Iyana was last seen leaving Terry Parker High School. Nearly five years have passed since her mysterious disappearance.
On December 19, 2018, surveillance footage captured her at Terry Parker High School, marking the last confirmed sighting of her.
Unfortunately, she vanished without a trace, and her whereabouts remained unknown.
Law enforcement authorities believe that Iyana, who was five months pregnant at the time, was tragically shot and killed.
Her body was then allegedly placed in a dumpster and transported to the Otis Road Landfill.
Despite a painstaking 16-day search at the landfill, which involved the efforts of a former CSI detective and a former K-9 officer, no human remains were discovered.
The gravity of the case has resulted in Johnathan Quiles now facing the possibility of the death penalty.