In an emotional and tense Florida courtroom on Friday, Adrian Cosby, convicted of murdering 18-year-old Andrea Camps Lacayo over a pair of Yeezy sneakers, launched into a fit of rage after the victim’s father condemned him.
The explosive scene unfolded during Cosby’s sentencing, as the family of Camps Lacayo confronted him face-to-face.
“You are the epitome of evil and darkness that this world represents,” said Anthony Camps, Andrea’s father, in a powerful victim impact statement.
“There is no forgiveness on this earth for animals like you,” he added, calling Cosby an “animal” for taking his daughter’s life.
Camps’ words sent Cosby into a fury. The 23-year-old stood up, yelling profanities and lunging toward the grieving family, shouting, “What the f— you talking about, b—!” Court officers quickly restrained him, ushering him out as he continued to hurl insults at Camps Lacayo’s loved ones, who were also held back.
Andrea Camps Lacayo, a high school senior and captain of her school’s dance team, was set to graduate from Terra Environmental Research Institute and had plans to study nursing at Florida International University.
Her life was tragically cut short during a transaction gone wrong in April 2020.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Andrea and her boyfriend, Sergio Berben, decided to sell some personal belongings to earn extra cash.
They arranged to meet George Walton, 19, to sell three pairs of Adidas Yeezy sneakers valued at $935. The meeting spot was an abandoned house in Homestead, near Florida’s Turnpike.
When Walton asked to try on a pair of the shoes, Berben insisted on seeing payment first. At that moment, Cosby approached and opened fire, striking both Andrea and Sergio.
Andrea was shot in the torso, while Sergio was grazed in the arm. Sergio, realizing his girlfriend was gravely wounded, drove off before pulling over to get help.
Paramedics arrived to find Andrea slipping in and out of consciousness. “She asked if she was going to be OK,” testified Miami-Dade Police Sgt. Jenna Parmenter, recalling the haunting scene. Andrea later died in surgery at a hospital.
Sergio, who had narrowly survived, recounted the traumatic encounter during Cosby’s trial, telling jurors, “He shot and killed my girlfriend and tried to kill me as well.” Cosby was ultimately found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, and attempted robbery with a deadly weapon.
After the outburst, the court took a 20-minute break. Cosby returned to the courtroom, but the Camps family was no longer present.
Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Miguel M. De la O then handed down Cosby’s sentence: two life terms plus an additional concurrent 25-year sentence for the attempted robbery.
George Walton, Cosby’s accomplice in the botched robbery, was also convicted earlier this year on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, and attempted robbery with a firearm. He, too, received a life sentence.
Anthony Camps and his family are left grappling with the heartbreaking loss of a daughter and sister. In her honor, they continue to seek justice and hope to raise awareness about the dangers of violence.
Andrea Camps Lacayo’s memory remains a beacon of what could have been, as her loved ones mourn the senseless tragedy that took her life.