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Man sentenced to 35 years for second-degree murder with witness tampering

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Posted at 5:44 PM, Jun 14, 2022
and last updated 2022-06-14 21:17:25-04

FORT MYERS, Fla. — A 25-year-old Fort Myers man was sentenced to 35 years in prison after a man was shot, robbed, and left to die.

Edey Cardenas was found guilty and sentenced to 35 years in prison for second-degree murder, attempted felony murder, robbery with a firearm, and witness tampering.

According to the State Attorney’s report, on May 13, 2018, Cardenas and three others attempted to rob a man.

The victim was lured by one of the other co-defendants then jumped, beaten, and shot by another co-defendant.

Cardenas with another co-defendant took $60,000 from the victim and left him to die.

According to the report, the co-defendant who shot the victim shot one of his friends as she was leaving the scene to call 911.

After Fort Myers Police Department investigated the case, they found video evidence, cell phone records, fingerprints, and DNA evidence.

FMPD then arrested Cardenas and the three other co-defendants.

Police were able to find Cardenas and the other three identified as Cheyenne Marron and Mario Benitez after gathering the evidence and eyewitness testimonies. The fourth person involved is scheduled for trial later this year.

Cardena’s 30-year sentence was for tampering with a witness according to the State Attorneys' report. Cardena's phone was being tracked by the Lee county Jail phone systems when it showed proof of him messaging several witnesses.