Andre Devon Bivins will spend the rest of his life in prison for the 2019 shooting death of Edward Ross on Panama City Beach, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.
The defendant was found guilty last month of First Degree Felony Murder and Attempted Robbery in the death of Ross, who was shot multiple times inside the home he shared with his father.
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Circuit Court Judge Shonna Young Gay sentenced the defendant to life in prison without the possibility of parole under Florida’s 10-20-Life Statute on the murder conviction, and 15 years on the Attempted Robbery.
Prosecutors Mark Graham and Frank Sullivan presented the case to jurors, who took about 25 minutes to deliver the verdict. Monday, Graham said the evidence in the case was clear: “The defendant led the other defendants (all armed) into the home in search of money and drugs.”
The evidence gathered by Bay County sheriff’s investigators showed that as the defendant and two others burst into the home with pistols and confronted the victim’s father, Kenneth Ross, the victim came walking down the hall to see what was happening. He had been taking a shower and had only a bath towel.
Evidence and testimony showed that Bivins fired the first shot and struck Ross, and the two other defendants then opened fire as well before fleeing.
Kenneth Ross, the victim’s father, witnessed it all.
“I was told from the very beginning that the perpetrators would be caught and punished,”
Ross said during sentencing. “That promise was fulfilled.”
Addressing the defendant, Ross told him, “in some ways your attempted robbery was a success; you robbed me of a son.”
“I’ll have to live for the rest of my life with the image of my son lying on the floor bleeding out, gasping for air, and watching as the life light bled out of his eyes while I was on the phone with 911,” Ross said.
And despite that pain, Ross told the defendant, “I forgive you and will pray for your soul, because, sir, you are definitely going to need it.
Basford thanked the Bay County Sheriff’s Office for its thorough and lengthy investigation into the complicated case.
For additional information please contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or 850- 381-7454.