A 53-year-old Key Largo man facing life in prison vanished on the final day of his felony trial Friday morning, and jurors convicted him on every count anyway after deliberating for less than an hour. Armando Lopez was free on a $460,000 bond throughout the proceedings, and his failure to appear at the Plantation courthouse left prosecutors to secure a conviction against what the lead prosecutor called an empty chair.
A Trial That Ended Without the Defendant
Lopez's trial had begun the previous Tuesday, according to the Miami Herald, and he was charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, domestic battery, grand theft auto, fleeing and eluding, and burglary. Monroe County State Attorney Joseph Mansfield said Lopez's attorney received a call from Lopez's father reporting that his whereabouts were unknown just as the six-member jury was preparing to deliberate. “We convicted an empty chair,” Mansfield said, describing the state's case as proceeding without the man it was built against.
Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.180(c)(1), a defendant who voluntarily absents himself during trial after being present at its start forfeits his right to be in the room for deliberations and the verdict — the trial proceeds as though he were still there, according to FindLaw. That rule is what allowed Circuit Judge James W. Morgan III to let the case reach a verdict even with the defendant gone. Morgan issued a no-bond bench warrant for Lopez once his absence was confirmed.
Strong Evidence, Swift Verdict
Prosecutors Madeline Thompson and Melissa Simmons presented what the Miami Herald described as strong evidence against Lopez, including body camera footage from Sgt. James Hager that showed the deputy being battered during the 2024 arrest. Monroe County Public Defender Robert Lockwood declined to comment when reached by the outlet.
How the Case Began
The charges stemmed from a domestic violence call placed around 4 p.m. on December 22, 2024, when Hager responded to a house on Palm Drive in Key Largo. At the scene, Lopez beat a woman with whom he had an on-and-off relationship, then turned on Hager, grabbing for the sergeant's holster in a struggle over his service weapon, as Keys Weekly reported at the time.
A Stolen Cruiser and a Carjacking on U.S. 1
Hager fired his Taser at Lopez during the fight, but the shock failed to incapacitate him, and Lopez fled with the deputy's patrol car. He then used the stolen cruiser to pull over a woman driving a Kia SUV near U.S. 1 and Alhambra Drive in the Upper Keys, forcing her out before stealing her vehicle. The driver had reportedly believed she was yielding to a legitimate police stop, according to Local 10 News.
Lopez then drove at speeds up to 100 mph before crashing into the back of a Volkswagen near Mile Marker 104 on the Overseas Highway and losing control of the Kia. Deputies and Florida Highway Patrol troopers caught up with him there, ending the pursuit. Lopez was free on a $460,000 bond during trial.
Bond Forfeiture and Additional Charges Loom
Lopez's disappearance now exposes him to consequences beyond the conviction itself. Under Florida Statute § 903.26, a defendant's failure to appear for a required court proceeding triggers automatic forfeiture of the bail bond, meaning Lopez's $460,000 bond is now at risk of being forfeited to the state, per FindLaw's breakdown of the statute.
Separately, Florida Statute § 843.15 makes it a distinct third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in state prison, for someone released on felony bail to willfully fail to appear in court, according to Musca Law. It remains unclear whether Monroe County prosecutors will pursue that additional charge against Lopez, who is now considered a fugitive with an active no-bond warrant.
