The trial in a 20-year-old murder case involving a pair of University of Miami football players began on Monday following an attempt to include testimony from a witness previously believed to be dead.
Former Hurricanes player Rashaun Jones was arrested and charged with the November 2006 murder of his teammate, Bryan Pata.
Pata was killed with a gunshot to the head in the parking lot of his off-campus apartment and had been a projected second-to-third-round draft pick.
Jones wasn’t detained until August 2021 when he was charged with second-degree murder. He has remained in custody for the last four-and-a-half years amid heavy delays and changes in attorneys for both the defense and prosecution.
Throughout this time, Jones has maintained his innocence. He has been offered a plea deal of 15 years in prison, with credit for time served. Jones rejected the deal, telling Judge Cristina Miranda, ‘Deep down in my heart, I know I’m innocent… Dismissal would be the only thing I am willing to accept.’
If he goes to trial, he could be sentenced to life in prison for second-degree murder.
The trial in the murder of Bryan Pata is set to being this week nearly 20 years after his death
Pata was killed in 2006. His teammate, Rashaun Jones (38), is the prime suspect in his murder.
Pata’s family has believed Jones was guilty since shortly after the killing took place: ‘I try to avoid looking at him,’ said Bryan’s brother Edwin Pata. ‘But there’s times I can’t avoid just staring at the guy who put the most misery in our family’s life ever.’
Police records and interviews by ESPN over the course of many years suggested that Jones and Pata clashed over a woman who had an intimate relationship with Jones before moving in with and dating Pata.
There’s also a side-saga within this story regarding the health and testimony of the only known eyewitness to the killing, now-81-year-old Paul Conner.
Prosecutors believed Conner was dead as recently as mid-July 2025. However, an investigation from ESPN found that he was alive and journalists from the company successfully made contact with him at his home in Louisville, Kentucky.
Previously, prosecutors had relied on third-party database searches to confirm Conner’s well-being and thought he had passed. Attempts to contact Conner directly were unsuccessful, as the 81-year-old was known to ‘struggle with technology’.
But in August, ESPN reporters were able to visit Conner’s address – where he answered the door. He said he was unaware of any attempts of people from Miami to try and contact him and it was discovered that he wasn’t able to properly use his phone. Further discussions revealed he had forgotten details of the alleged murder.
After it was determined that his apparent memory challenges would prevent his testimony, Judge Miranda allowed a prior testimony from 2022 to be used at trial.
Jones, who has pled not guilty to the charges, was arrested back in 2021 and has been held in jail awaiting trial ever since as he has not been able to post the necessary bail for release
The trial for Pata’s murder is expected to take place next week after a jury is selected
Jones was one of the initial suspects questioned by police in 2006, but he was not arrested until nearly 15 years after Pata’s killing.
Jones was taken into custody in 2021 and has remained there ever since as he has been unable to pay the required amount for release. His bail has been set at $850,000 – of which, typically ten percent (or, in this case, $85,000) is normally required.
Conner remains the only eyewitness in this case – which has also relied on testimony from friends and teammates that Jones and Pata fought verbally and physically prior to Pata’s death.
After jury selection, testimony in the case is expected to start next week.
