Army vet killed in murder-for-hire plot in Florida, authorities say

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Authorities thought a U.S. Army veteran was killed on Veteran’s Day as he was robbed for his truck while trying to help a stranded motorist. But sheriff’s investigators in Volusia County, Florida, now say Carlos Cruz-Echevarria was “executed” last November to keep him from testifying in a road rage case.

The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports that Cruz-Echevarria, 60, was killed after stopping to help someone in a disabled car. His truck was later found burned.

Months later, DNA has linked Benjamin Bascom, 24, to the car. Investigators then learned that Kelsey McFoley, 28, hired him to kill the man. Deputies said Melissa Rios Roque, 21, assisted in planning the shooting and helped Bascom get away. All three were arrested on first-degree murder charges.

“I’ve been a cop for 32 years and this is one of the most heinous, despicable, cowardly acts that I’ve ever witnessed,” Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said during a media conference Thursday. “You’ve got a pack of animals, (who) once again illustrate that human life is cheap on the street. A road rage incident where a man does what he’s supposed to do, notify the police (and) cooperate with the system. His thanks is to wind up with multiple bullets in his head.”

Cruz-Echevarria was killed weeks before had been scheduled to give a deposition in the road rage case against McFoley in December.

The case began May 2, 2017, as Cruz-Echevarria was behind McFoley in traffic. McFoley didn’t move when the light turned green. An arrest affidavit says Cruz-Echevarria honked his horn and passed McFoley.

Later McFoley pulled next to Cruz-Echevarria and asked if he had a problem, the arrest report said. Cruz-Echevarria responded, “No, but maybe you do” before more words were exchanged. The two men got out of their vehicles, and McFoley pointed a gun at Cruz-Echevarria.

Cruz-Echevarria picked McFoley out of a photo lineup and he was charged on June 1, 2017. An October court document announcing that he would give a deposition on Dec. 7 also listed Cruz-Echevarria’s address.

Officials said Bascom soon began staking out Cruz-Echevarria’s home.

Bascom was arrested Wednesday at Orlando International Airport, carrying a one-way ticket to Texas. McFoley and Roque were arrested Tuesday.

Court records show McFoley has 29 previous felony charges and nine misdemeanor charges, meaning the road-rage case carried the potential for significant prison time. No attorneys were listed on the suspects’ court records.