FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The man accused of opening fire and killing one person at the 2015 Zombicon festival in downtown Fort Myers faced a judge for the first time, Tuesday.
Jose Raul Bonilla, 23, is facing numerous charges including 2nd degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm (5 counts), and tampering with evidence. At his first appearance in court, a Lee County judged pushed his bond hearing until Wednesday.
Bonilla's attorney, David Brener, said he does not have the facts of the case yet, therefore cannot properly argue for bond. 4 In Your Corner asked him about Bonilla after the hearing. "My client has lived here his whole life and does have family and strong ties to the community," Brener said. "So to give him a hair hearing, we really need to present that and need to present the facts of the case."
Other attorneys is town believe the case will be tough for the defense. "The atmosphere we're in right now, with the gun violence we're seeing, it's a very interesting time for this arrest to take place and to try to defend somebody that shot multiple people at an event like this," said Scot Goldberg. "It's going to be a tough case to win for the defense."
Goldberg represented one of the victims of the 2015 shooting, who was shot in the wrist, in a civil lawsuit. He said the family is excited about the arrest, and happy investigators did not give up on the case.
Now investigators are still seeking more tips from anyone Bonilla may have talked to about the shooting. "When you have a case over 2 years old, and they've been working on this non-stop and actually get someone to arrest, they've done their homework," said Goldberg. "But you never stop wanting more evidence. No one does, in a civil or criminal case. You want as much evidence as possible."
