A Central Florida man who shot and killed his girlfriend will now face justice in prison.
After a two-day trial and only about 20 minutes of deliberation, a Volusia County jury found defendant Chad Keene guilty as charged of Second-Degree Murder (Firearm) and Possession of Firearm by Convicted In-State Felon. Immediately following the verdict, the defendant was sentenced to life in prison.
On the morning of August 16, 2022, the victim was arguing with her ex-boyfriend at a convenience store off Oleander Avenue in Daytona Beach. She then left the store and called Keene, her boyfriend at the time who lived nearby.
Keene walked to Glenview Boulevard to meet his girlfriend. Her ex-boyfriend followed her and witnessed the defendant pull out a gun and shoot her. Video surveillance shows Keene then run back to his apartment following the shooting.
A search warrant was executed on the defendant’s apartment and ammunition found inside is consistent with the type of shell casing located at the crime scene. Daytona Beach Police Detectives also found trafficking amounts of drugs in a safe.
Keene was arrested in Ormond Beach that evening.
The victim died from her injuries at the hospital.
The case was investigated by the Daytona Beach Police Department. Assistant State Attorney Sarah Thomas successfully tried the case for the state. The Honorable Leah Case presided over the case and pronounced sentence.
The defendant also has additional counts of Trafficking in Methamphetamine, Trafficking in Fentanyl (4 grams to 14 grams) and Possession of Ammunition by Convicted In-State Felon pending in Volusia County.
