Judge Dismisses Murder Charge in Ybor City Shooting, Citing ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law
A Tampa judge dismissed the murder charge against Joel Moreno-Cobo, who shot and killed DJ Dedrick Sykes in Ybor City. The judge ruled that Moreno-Cobo was justified under Florida's "stand your ground" law, finding that Sykes was the "initial aggressor"…
Tampa St. Petersburg, FL, August 26, 2026 —
A Tampa judge has dismissed the murder charge against Joel Moreno-Cobo, who was accused of fatally shooting DJ Dedrick Sykes in Ybor City. The ruling, made by a Tampa judge, determined that Moreno-Cobo’s actions were justified under Florida’s “stand your ground” law.
The court found that Sykes was the “initial aggressor” in the confrontation. Furthermore, the judge ruled that Moreno-Cobo reasonably believed he was in danger and that his use of force was justified to protect himself.
The incident, which resulted in the death of Sykes, occurred in Ybor City. Details regarding the specific timeline and exact sequence of events leading up to the shooting were central to the judge’s decision regarding the application of the “stand your ground” statute.
Florida’s “stand your ground” law permits individuals to use deadly force if they reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm to themselves or another person, or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony, without a duty to retreat.
The dismissal of the murder charge signifies that the legal proceedings against Moreno-Cobo in relation to Sykes’s death have concluded, based on the judge’s interpretation of self-defense laws.
Story summarized from the original created by By Tony Marrero, Times staff on www.tampabay.com, see more information here.
