WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A sentencing trial took place Tuesday in the Palm Beach Courthouse for the murder case of a Palm Beach County mixed martial arts fighter.
The case involved Aaron Rajman, a West Boca Raton resident, who was killed in 2017.
Roberto Ortiz, 23, was convicted of the crime in August.
Ortiz was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder with a firearm in the case.
Ortiz is now the fourth person set to go to prison in this case.
Prosecutors said Ortiz was the collaborator who brought all of the attackers together, bringing the guns and creating the situation that ended up in the death of Rajman.
Members of the defendant's family, who were in the audience, became emotional after pleading with the judge to lessen his sentence.
"My child is so respectful and honorable and what happened to my child … it should've never happened," Caroline Walker, Ortiz's mother said.
Also in attendance were the victim's family members, who joined the sentencing virtually via Zoom.
This included Rajman's sister, Logan, who had some final words for Ortiz.
"You will get to see your child and your nephew and your friend," Logan Rajman said. "We will never ever see Aaron again."
The state attorney said the defendant even held a gun to a surviving victim's head while a group stole her items and took off.
Ortiz also received a 22 1/2-year sentence for each count of home invasion with a firearm. He now has 30 days to appeal the sentence.
