Alex Lopez trial: Testimony underway in Leesburg store clerk's murder

Testimony underway in store clerk's murder trial

New details emerged Tuesday in the trial of a man accused of killing a convenience store clerk in Leesburg, as the victim’s widow testified while facing the man prosecutors say shot her husband.

TAVARES, Fla. - New details emerged Tuesday in the trial of a man accused of killing a convenience store clerk in Leesburg.

The victim’s widow testified while facing the man prosecutors say shot her husband.

The backstory:

Lopez is accused of shooting Raied "Ray" Shihadeh during a robbery at the M&M Food Mart in Leesburg in May 2024. 

Surveillance video from the store showed a man walking into the store and shooting Shihadeh, who was on FaceTime with his wife at the time. The man is then seen hopping over the counter before fleeing the store, according to authorities. 

Shihadeh, a father of five, died from his injuries after being taken to a hospital.

Lopez evaded police for weeks before he was arrested in June 2024 at a hotel in Osceola County. He faces multiple charges, including murder.

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Prosecutors allege Alex Lopez was captured on surveillance video last year entering the store and shooting the clerk. Defense attorneys dispute that claim, arguing Lopez was not inside the store at the time of the shooting and that no evidence places him at the scene.

The victim’s widow told the jury she was on a FaceTime call with her husband when the shooting occurred. She said she heard gunshots and repeatedly asked him what was happening, but he did not respond.

Alex Lopez (Photo: Osceola County Corrections Center, Leesburg Police Department)

"I kept asking him, ‘What is happening? What’s going on?' He never responded. He never said anything," she testified. "All of a sudden, I saw a blur pass across the screen and I screamed."

She said she called 911 after her husband never returned to the phone.

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The trial is expected to continue through Thursday. 

Prosecutors have decided not to seek the death penalty in the case. Lopez faces a possible sentence of life in prison if convicted.