The Commission on Capital Cases updates this information regularly. This information, however, is subject to change and may not reflect the latest status of an inmate’s case and should not be relied upon for statistical or legal purposes.

 

PARDO, Jr., Manuel (W/M)

AKA:  Manny

DC# 111983

DOB:  09/24/56

 

Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Dade County Case# 86-12910-A

Sentencing Judge:  The Honorable Phillip W. Knight

Trial Attorney:  Ronald S. Guralnick – Private   

Attorney, Direct Appeal:  Calianne P. Lanz – Special Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Collateral Appeals:  Leor Veleanu – CCRC-S

 

Date of Offense:  01/22/86 – 04/29/86

Date of Sentence:  04/20/88

 

Circumstances of the Offense:

 

Manuel Pardo, a former police officer, was convicted of eight counts of first-degree murder, with an additional count in CC# 86-1417-A. Pardo admitted he intentionally killed all nine of the victims because he believed them all to be drug dealers who “have no right to live.” When Rolando Garcia, his known codefendant, was shown pictures of the victims during interrogation he stated, “We took care of all these people.” The State presented the case that Pardo and Garcia were drug dealers and were eliminating the competition.

 

Both Pardo and Garcia worked for Ramon Alvero, a drug dealer. The body of Daisy Ricard, Ramon Alvero’s girlfriend, was found on 04/23/86, at approximately 6:30 p.m. Her body was found in a wooded area of Hialeah. She had been shot in the head by two different .22 caliber pistols and was missing a shoe. A casing and her watch were found near her body. Pardo’s fingerprints were found on the watch. On the morning of 04/24/86, Alvero’s body was found in the trunk of a car approximately one mile away from where Daisy’s body was found. Ricard’s matching shoe and two other .22 caliber casings were also found in the trunk of the car. Alvero was shot with the same two guns that Ricard was shot with.

 

The night of 04/26/86, both Garcia and Pardo flew to New York City (NYC). They told the doctors at a hospital in NYC that Pardo had been shot in the foot while he was visiting NYC. The bullet that the doctors removed from Pardo’s foot matched those taken from the bodies of Ricard and Alvero.

 

A search warrant was then obtained for Pardo’s apartment. A casing matching the casing from Alvero’s car was found in Pardo’s apartment. A calendar book linking seven other unsolved homicides to was also found in Pardo’s apartment. Pardo made entries into the book on the dates of each homicide, in addition to taping newspaper clippings about the homicides in the book. Throughout Pardo’s calendar book, numerical counting appeared that corresponded to the number of the murder victims. The victims included Mario Amador, Roberto Alfonso, Luis Robledo, Ulpiano Ledo, Sara Musa, and Fara Quintero.

 

Codefendant Information:

Rolando Garcia (DC# 115751)

 

Garcia was arrested on 05/23/86 and charges with 24 counts: eight counts of first-degree murder and 16 related offenses (CC# 86-12910). Garcia had two mistrials, after which he petitioned to sever the cases. The court severed the five counts related to the Musa/ Quintero murders and kept the remaining 19 counts together for trial. The jury convicted Garcia for the Amador, Alfonso, Alvaro, and Ricard murders, but voted to acquit on all counts directly related to the murders of Robledo and Ledo. The jury recommended death for three of the four convictions of first-degree murder and life for the remaining count. The Court imposed four death sentences. Garcia is currently engaging in the appeals process in regarding to his death sentences.

 

Trial Summary:

 

01/11/86          Indicted as follows:

                                    Count I:           First-Degree Murder (Mario Amador)

                                    Count II:         First-Degree Murder (Roberto Alfonso)

                                    Count III:        Robbery

Count IV:        Unlawful Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in a Criminal Offense

                                    Count V:         First-Degree Murder (Luis Robledo)

                                    Count VI:        First-Degree Murder (Ulpiano Ledo)

                                    Count VII:      Robbery

                                    Count VIII:     Unlawful Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in a Criminal Offense

                                    Count IX:        First-Degree Murder (Sara Musa)

                                    Count X:         First-Degree Murder (Fara Quintero)

Count XI:        Unlawful Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in a Criminal Offense

                                    Count XII:      Forgery – Credit Card

                                    Count XIII:     Uttering a Forged Instrument – Credit Card

                                    Count XIV:     Grand Theft Second Degree

                                    Count XV:      Forgery – Credit Card

                                    Count XVI:     Uttering a Forged Instrument – Credit Card

                                    Count XVII:   Grand Theft Second Degree

                                    Count XVIII:  Forgery – Credit Card

                                    Count XIX:     Uttering a Forged Instrument – Credit Card

03/11/86          The indictment was amended:

                                    Count XI:        Robbery

                                    Count XII:      Robbery

                                    Count XIII:     Unlawful Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in a Criminal Offense

                                    Count XIV:     First-Degree Murder (Ramon Alvero)

                                    Count XV:      First-Degree Murder (Daisy Ricard)

Count XVI:     Unlawful Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in a Criminal Offense

                                    Count XVII:   Forgery – Credit Card

                                    Count XVIII:  Uttering a Forged Instrument – Credit Card

                                    Count XIX:     Grand Theft Second Degree

                                    Count XX:      Forgery – Credit Card

                                    Count XXI:     Uttering a Forged Instrument – Credit Card

                                    Count XXII:   Grand Theft Second Degree

                                    Count XXIII:  Forgery – Credit Card

                                    Count XXIV:  Uttering a Forged Instrument – Credit Card

03/11/87          Defendant pled not guilty.

04/15/88          Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment

                                    Count I:           First-Degree Murder (Mario Amador)

                                    Count II:         First-Degree Murder (Roberto Alfonso)

                                    Count III:        Robbery

Count IV:        Unlawful Possession of a Firearm while Engaged in a Criminal Offense

                                    Count V:         First-Degree Murder (Luis Robledo)

                                    Count VI:        First-Degree Murder (Ulpiano Ledo)

                                    Count VII:      Robbery

                                    Count VIII:     Unlawful Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in a Criminal Offense

                                    Count IX:        First-Degree Murder (Sara Musa)

                                    Count X:         First-Degree Murder (Fara Quintero)

                                    Count XI:        Robbery

                                    Count XII:      Robbery

                                    Count XIII:     Unlawful Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in a Criminal Offense

                                    Count XIV:     First-Degree Murder (Ramon Alvero)

                                    Count XV:      First-Degree Murder (Daisy Ricard)

Count XVI:     Unlawful Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in a Criminal Offense

04/20/88          Jury recommended death by the following votes:

                                    Count I:           First-Degree Murder (Mario Amador) – 8-4

                                    Count II:         First-Degree Murder (Roberto Alfonso) – 8-4

                                    Count V:         First-Degree Murder (Luis Robledo) – 9-3

                                    Count VI:        First-Degree Murder (Ulpiano Ledo) – 9-3

                                    Count IX:        First-Degree Murder (Sara Musa) – 9-3

                                    Count X:         First-Degree Murder (Fara Quintero) – 10-2

                                    Count XIV:     First-Degree Murder (Ramon Alvero) – 10-2

                                    Count XV:      First-Degree Murder (Daisy Ricard) – 10-2

04/20/88         The defendant was sentenced as follows:

                                    Count I:           First-Degree Murder (Mario Amador) – Death

                                    Count II:         First-Degree Murder (Roberto Alfonso) – Death

                                    Count III:        Robbery – 15 years

Count IV:        Unlawful Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in a Criminal Offense – 15 years

                                    Count V:         First-Degree Murder (Luis Robledo) – Death

                                    Count VI:        First-Degree Murder (Ulpiano Ledo) – Death

                                    Count VII:      Robbery – 15 years

                                    Count VIII:     Unlawful Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in a Criminal Offense – 15 years

                                    Count IX:        First-Degree Murder (Sara Musa) – Death

                                    Count X:         First-Degree Murder (Fara Quintero) – Death

                                    Count XI:        Robbery – 15 years

                                    Count XII:      Robbery – 15 years

                                    Count XIII:     Unlawful Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in a Criminal Offense – 15 years

                                    Count XIV:     First-Degree Murder (Ramon Alvero) – Death

                                    Count XV:      First-Degree Murder (Daisy Ricard) – Death

Count XVI:     Unlawful Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in a Criminal Offense – 15 years

 

Counts 3,4,7,8,11,12,13,16 – to run concurrently with each other

 

04/21/88          The defendant’s sentence was amended in the following manner:

                                    Counts 3,7,11, and 12 - three-year mandatory minimum to run concurrently to each other.

                                    Counts 4,8,13, and 16 – the Court suspended entry of sentence.                       

 

Appeal Summary:

 

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 72,463

563 So. 2d 77

 

05/13/88          Appeal filed

05/31/90          FSC affirmed the conviction and sentence

07/27/90          Rehearing denied

08/27/90          Mandate issued


United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC# 90-7295

500 U.S. 928

 

10/26/90          Petition filed

05/13/91          Petition denied

 

State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 86-12910-A & 86-14719

 

05/26/92          Motion filed

06/25/01          Amended motion filed

08/26/03          Motion denied

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal

FSC# 03-1966

941 So.2d 1057

 

11/10/03          Appeal filed

06/29/06          The FSC affirmed the trial court’s denial of Pardo’s 3.850 Motion

10/19/06          Motion for rehearing denied (this case only)

11/06/06          Mandate issued

 

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

FSC# 04-2244  

941 So.2d 1057

 

11/22/04          Petition filed.

06/29/06          Petition denied.

11/06/06          Mandate issued.

 

United States District Court (Southern District) – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

USDC# 07-cv-22867

 

11/02/07          Petition filed.

04/23/08          Petition denied.

05/07/08          Motion to alter judgment filed.

06/10/08          Motion denied.

07/08/08          Motion for Certificate of Appealability filed.

07/09/08          Certificate of Appealability denied.

 

United States Court of Appeals – Habeas Appeal

USCA# 08-14053

(Pending)

 

09/29/08          Appeal filed.

 

 

Factors Contributing to the Delay in the Imposition of the Sentence:

 

The original 3.850 motion was pending in the Circuit Court for ten years due to public records issues.

 

Case Information:

 

Pardo filed a Direct Appeal to the Florida Supreme on 05/13/88. Pardo raised five issues on appeal, two of which pertained to his competency to stand trial and his sanity at the time of the crimes. The Court determined that none of the issues raised by Pardo on Direct Appeal had merit. The state filed a cross-appeal on two issues. The first being the trial court’s refusal to apply the aggravating factor of a prior conviction for a capital felony to the final four murders and the second that the trial court erred in finding the statutory mitigating circumstances that Pardo had no significant prior criminal history. The Court found a mistake of the law for the trial court to view the crimes as one lengthy incident, instead viewing them as distinct episodes. The Court affirmed the convictions and the sentence of death on 05/31/90. The rehearing was denied on 07/27/90 and the mandate was issued on 08/27/90.

 

Pardo filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court on 10/26/90.  The petition was denied on 05/13/91.

 

On 05/26/92, Pardo filed a 3.850 Motion to the Circuit Court. According to Sandra Jaquard, the Assistant Attorney General, the public records were unavailable until 1997 because Rolando Garcia’s, Pardo’s codefendant, case was remanded for a new trial. The records became available during 1997, after which public record disputes ensued. The amended motion was filed on 06/25/01.  The Motion was denied on 08/26/03.

 

Pardo filed a 3.850 Appeal to the Florida Supreme Court on 11/10/03.  Pardo appeals and raised the following four issues:  (1) the trial court’s denial, without an evidentiary hearing, of his claims regarding inadequate expert mental health evaluations; (2) the denial, without an evidentiary hearing, of the claim that trial counsel was ineffective in waiving severance of counts; (3) the Brady issue; and (4) the denial of his ineffective assistance claim regarding failure to seek severance of counts.  The Court found no reversible error in the trial court’s denial of Pardo’s 3.850 Motion.  On 06/29/06, the Court affirmed the trial court’s denial of Pardo’s 3.850 Motion.  On 10/19/06, the Motion for a Rehearing was denied (this case only).  On 11/06/0, the mandate was issued.

 

Pardo filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus to the Florida Supreme Court on 11/22/04.  Pardo asserted that counsel was ineffective in failing to raise the following main issues in his Direct Appeal:  (1) the trial court’s error in precluding cross-examination of Ribera on prior crimes he admitted committing but was not charged with; and (2) the trial court’s error in its rulings on several evidentiary issues preserved by trial counsel.  Having found no merit on these issues, raised by Pardo, the Court denied the Habeas Petition on 06/29/06.  On 11/06/0, the mandate was issued.

 

Pardo filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus to the United States District Court on 11/02/07.  This petition was denied on 04/23/08.  On 05/07/08, Pardo filed a Motion to Alter Judgment which was denied on 06/10/08.  On 07/08/08, Pardo filed a Motion for Certificate of Appealability in the United States District Court, which was denied on 07/09/08.

 

On 09/29/08, Pardo filed a Habeas appeal in the United States Court of Appeals.  This appeal is currently pending.

 


The Commission on Capital Cases updates this information regularly. This information, however, is subject to change and may not reflect the latest status of an inmate’s case and should not be relied upon for statistical or legal purposes.

 

PARDO, Jr., Manuel (W/M)

AKA: Manny

DC# 111983

DOB: 09/24/56

 

Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Dade County Case# 86-14719-A

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Phillip W. Knight

Trial Attorney: Ronald S. Guralnick – Private   

Attorney, Direct Appeal: Calianne P. Lanz – Special Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Leor Veleanu – CCRC-S

 

Date of Offense: 01/28/86

Date of Sentence: 04/20/88

 

Circumstances of the Offense:

 

Manuel Pardo, a former police officer, was convicted of eight counts of first-degree murder in case number 86-12910-A, with an additional count in the current case. Pardo admitted he intentionally killed all nine of the victims because he believed them all to be drug dealers who “have no right to live.” When Rolando Garcia, his known codefendant, was shown pictures of the victims during interrogation he stated, “we took care of all these people.” The State presented the case that Pardo and Garcia were drug dealers and were eliminating the competition.

 

On 02/28/86, between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m., the body of Michael Millot was discovered in the railroad section of Miramar, Florida. The case was turned over to the Broward County Sheriff’s Department, which turned it over to the Dade County Sheriff’s Department. Both Garcia and Pardo told a witness that they believed the victim to be a federal agent or informant. Garcia believed that the victim was setting him up for an arrest. A witness stated that Pardo told him that the victim was killed in a motor vehicle owned by Garcia’s wife. The vehicle was searched and evidence related to the crime was recovered.

 

Codefendant Information:

Rolando Garcia (DC# 115751)

 

Rolando Garcia was arrested on 05/23/86 and charged with 24 counts: eight counts of first-degree murder and 16 related offenses (CC# 86-12910).  Garcia had two mistrials, after which he petitioned to sever the cases. The court severed the five counts related to the Musa/Quintero murders and kept the remaining 19 counts together for trial. The jury convicted Garcia for the Amador, Alfonso, Alvaro, and Ricard murders, but voted to acquit on all counts directly related to the murders of Robledo and Ledo. The jury recommended death for three of the four convictions of first-degree murder and life for the remaining count. The Court imposed four death sentences. Garcia is currently engaging in the appeals process in regard to his death sentences.

 

 

Trial Summary:

 

06/11/86          Indicted as follows:

                                    Count I:            First-Degree Murder

Count II:           Unlawful Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in a Criminal Offense

06/13/86          Defendant pled not guilty.

05/15/88          Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment

04/20/88          Jury recommended death by a vote of 8-4

04/20/88          Sentenced as follows:

                                    Count I:            First-Degree Murder – Death

Count II:           Unlawful Possession of a Firearm While Engaged in a Criminal Offense – 15 years

 

Appeal Summary:

 

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 72,463

563 So. 2d 77

 

05/13/88          Appeal filed

05/31/90          FSC affirmed the conviction and sentence

07/27/90          Rehearing denied

08/27/90          Mandate issued

 

United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC# 90-7295

500 U.S. 928

 

10/26/90          Petition filed

05/13/91          Petition denied

 

State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 86-12910-A & 86-14719

 

05/26/92          Motion filed

06/25/01          Amended motion filed

08/26/03          Motion denied

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal

FSC# 03-1966

941 So.2d 1057

 

11/10/03          Appeal filed

06/29/06          The FSC affirmed the trial court’s denial of Pardo’s 3.850 Motion

10/19/06          Motion for rehearing denied (this case only)

11/06/06          Mandate issued

 

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

FSC# 04-2244  

941 So.2d 1057

 

11/22/04          Petition filed

06/29/06          Petition denied

11/06/06          Mandate issued

 

United States District Court (Southern District) – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

USDC# 07-cv-22867

 

11/02/07          Petition filed.

04/23/08          Petition denied.

05/07/08          Motion to alter judgment filed.

06/10/08          Motion denied.

07/08/08          Motion for Certificate of Appealability filed.

07/09/08          Certificate of Appealability denied.

 

United States Court of Appeals – Habeas Appeal

USCA# 08-14053

 

09/29/08          Appeal filed.

11/10/09          USCA affirmed the denial of petition.

 

United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC #09-10099

(Pending)

 

04/05/10          Petition filed

 

 

 

Factors Contributing to the Delay in the Imposition of the Sentence:

 

The main delay is the fact that the 3.850 motion has been pending in the Circuit Court for ten years due to public records issues.

 

Case Information:

 

Pardo filed a Direct Appeal to the Florida Supreme on 05/13/88. Pardo raised five issues on appeal, two of which pertained to his competency to stand trial and his sanity at the time of the crimes.  The Court determined that none of the issues raised by Pardo on Direct Appeal had merit.  The state filed a cross-appeal on two issues.  The first being the trial court’s refusal to apply the aggravating factor of a prior conviction for a capital felony to the final four murders and the second that the trail court erred in finding the statutory mitigating circumstances that Pardo had no significant prior criminal history. The Court found a mistake of the law for the trial court to view the crimes as one lengthy incident, instead viewing them as distinct episodes.  The Court affirmed the convictions and the sentence of death on 05/31/90.  The rehearing was denied on 07/27/90 and the mandate was issued on 08/27/90.

 

Pardo filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court on 10/26/90.  The petition was denied on 05/13/91.

 

Pardo filed a 3.850 Motion to the Circuit Court on 05/26/92.  According to Sandra Jaquard, the Assistant Attorney General, the public records were unavailable until 1997 because Rolando Garcia’s, Pardo’s codefendant, case was remanded for a new trial.  The records became available during 1997, after which public record disputes ensued.  The Amended Motion was filed on 06/25/01.  The Motion was denied on 08/26/03.

 

Pardo filed a 3.850 Appeal to the Florida Supreme Court on 11/10/03.  Pardo appeals and raised the following four issues:  (1) the trial court’s denial, without an evidentiary hearing, of his claims regarding inadequate expert mental health evaluations; (2) the denial, without an evidentiary hearing, of the claim that trial counsel was ineffective in waiving severance of counts; (3) the Brady issue; and (4) the denial of his ineffective assistance claim regarding failure to seek severance of counts.  The Court found no reversible error in the trial court’s denial of Pardo’s 3.850 Motion.  On 06/29/06, the Court affirmed the trial court’s denial of Pardo’s 3.850 Motion.  On 10/19/06, the Motion for a Rehearing was denied (this case only).  On 11/06/06, the mandate was issued.

 

Pardo filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus to the Florida Supreme Court on 11/22/04.  Pardo asserted that counsel was ineffective in failing to raise the following main issues in his Direct Appeal:  (1) the trial court’s error in precluding cross-examination of Ribera on prior crimes he admitted committing but was not charged with; and (2) the trial court’s error in its rulings on several evidentiary issues preserved by trial counsel.  Having found no merit on these issues, raised by Pardo, the Court denied the Habeas Petition on 06/29/06.  On 11/06/06, the mandate was issued.

 

Pardo filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus to the United States District Court on 11/02/07.  This petition was denied on 04/23/08. On 05/07/08, Pardo filed a Motion to Alter Judgment which was denied on 06/10/08.  On 07/08/08, Pardo filed a Motion for Certificate of Appealability in the United States District Court, which was denied on 07/09/08.

 

On 09/29/08, Pardo filed a Habeas appeal in the United States Court of Appeals.  The United States Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of the petition on 11/10/09.

 

On 04/05/10, Pardo filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the United States Supreme Court.  This petition is still pending.

 

 

 

Institutional Adjustment:

 

DATE              DAYS           VIOLATION                            LOCATION      

--------            ----                ----------------------------             -------------------

 03/24/90         0                   POSS OF CONTRABAND      FLORIDA STATE PRISON

 

 

Report Date:     01/23/02          NMP

Approved:        02/12/02          WS

Updated:          04/16/10          CAR