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In a breaking report earlier this afternoon, The Miami Herald is reporting that former Miami Hurricanes S Rashaun Jones has been charged with and arrested for the murder of former Miami Hurricanes DL Bryan Pata.
BREAKING: Former player arrested, charged with 2006 murder of Miami hurricane star Bryan Pata https://t.co/BqLQNoS2Mu
— Miami Herald (@MiamiHerald) August 19, 2021
Miami Dade Police posted the following tweet, proclaiming the mystery solved with this arrest.
MURDER CASE SOLVED - Segment 4
— Miami-Dade Police (@MiamiDadePD) August 19, 2021
MDPD Homicide detectives, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals, have arrested Rashaun Jones in connection to the 2006 murder of Bryan Pata. Thank you investigators for helping us bring justice to the family. pic.twitter.com/s8QoyHVf96
This is the conclusion of a situation that has been ongoing for 15 years. Pata was murdered on November 7, 2006 outside of his apartment just minutes away from campus. The team, program, and University family at-large mourned the untimely death of the 22 year old Pata in the days following his murder. The team even printed his picture and dedicated the next game to Pata’s memory, which can be seen below:
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The chilling part of that: Jones, who was arrested today with Pata’s murder, is #38 in the picture (far left), kneeling in the front row of the players mourning their fallen friend....ostensibly days after he was the one who murdered Pata.
Ever since Pata’s murder, people have been looking for answers. Friend and former SOTU contributor APDirtybird penned this piece looking back on Pata’s unsolved murder.
Last November, ESPN published this piece investigating “Who Killed Bryan Pata?”, which brought the case back to the forefront of the minds of many who had since forgotten the senseless killing.
All of that led up to today’s arrest of Jones, 35, for the murder of his former teammate Pata. As stated above, Miami-Dade Police Homicide considers this case to finally be solved. The Pata family can, hopefully, get closure for this painful, senseless killing.
This is no celebrating moment. A young man is still dead for no reason. But this is a moment in which the Pata family, Miami Hurricanes program, and University family at-large can gain closure in this harrowing situation.
To whoever it was that finally stepped up and gave the tip that connected the dots to get this case solved: thank you.
Rest in Peace, Bryan.