A man guilty on a slew of charges from a December 2024 incident in which he beat a woman, attacked a police officer, took his patrol vehicle and carjacked an innocent woman remains on the loose after skipping the last day of his trial.
Following a five-day jury trial before Circuit Judge James Morgan, a Monroe County jury on Oct. 2 found 53-year-old Armando Lopez guilty on 11 criminal counts. The jury deliberated for approximately one hour before returning its verdicts.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Lopez skipped the last day of trial. His whereabouts are still unknown. He was released on a $460,000 bond. Judge Morgan issued a no-bond warrant for his arrest, and the proceedings continued in his absence.
The Sheriff’s Office as well as local, state, and federal law enforcement are searching for Lopez. He should be considered dangerous and the public is asked to report any tips regarding his location by calling 911 or the sheriff’s office at 305 289-2351.
Lopez was found guilty of burglary of a dwelling with a battery, aggravated battery, burglary of an authorized emergency vehicle, grand theft of a motor vehicle, resisting an officer with violence, battery on a police officer, burglary of a conveyance with a battery, carjacking, fleeing or attempting to elude at high speed or recklessly, and two counts of reckless driving with property damage. The jury acquitted Lopez on two additional counts, domestic battery by strangulation and false imprisonment.
The case began on Dec. 22, 2024, when Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a reported domestic disturbance in Key Largo. According to the investigation, Lopez repeatedly struck the victim in the head, causing fractures and other injuries.
When Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. James Hager arrived at the residence, Lopez attacked him, tackling him to the floor, repeatedly striking him with a closed fist and attempting to take his duty firearm. Lopez then ran from the residence, entered Hager’s unlocked marked patrol vehicle and drove away.
Lopez drove the marked MCSO patrol vehicle south with its emergency lights activated. He later stopped at the Sandal Factory in Key Largo, where he approached another vehicle and forcibly removed a woman from the driver’s seat. According to the investigation, the woman initially believed Lopez was a law enforcement officer because she had seen him exit the marked patrol vehicle with its emergency lights activated. Lopez then drove away in her vehicle.
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper subsequently encountered the vehicle traveling northbound on U.S. 1 at an extremely high rate of speed and driving erratically. The vehicle collided with another vehicle, overturned and came to rest on its roof near Mile Marker 104. Lopez was removed from the overturned vehicle, taken into custody and transported for medical treatment.
The case was investigated by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Highway Patrol.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Madeleine Thompson and Melissa Simmons. Victim Advocate Director Isnarlys Parker assisted the victim throughout the case and trial.
“Assistant State Attorneys Madeleine Thompson and Melissa Simmons did an outstanding job presenting this case, and Victim Advocate Isnarlys Parker was there supporting the victim throughout the process,” said Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield. “This was a difficult case, and their work helped bring it to a successful conclusion with guilty verdicts on 11 counts.”
Lopez faces the possibility of life in prison. Among his convictions are two counts of Burglary with a Battery, each a first-degree felony punishable by up to life in prison under Florida law. He will be sentenced by Circuit Judge James Morgan at a later date.
