Jacob Ogles
It’s been more than eight years since Ryan Modell was shot and killed at a Lee County apartment complex. In the near-decade since, his father, Sandy Modell, pursued closure through proper courtroom channels and then through a publicity campaign.
But the grieving father said politics repeatedly thrust itself in the way of justice. He believed prosecutor Amira Fox deemed the murder a “stand your ground” self-defense case to earn an endorsement from the National Rifle Association. He said Fox later pressured him into providing information on a political opponent in exchange for reconsidering prosecution, though that never happened.
“This is a clear murder,” Sandy Modell said. “The only person who doesn’t see a murder is the State Attorney down there, Amira Fox. And she can’t explain her position.”
He sees Fox’s actions as corrupt. However, he believes that political favoritism between Fox and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and loyalties between Bondi and current Attorney General Ashley Moody prevent any consequence of prosecutorial misconduct.
Eight years after a fateful step into the wrong apartment cost a 32-year-old his life, Bondi awaits confirmation to become President-elect Donald Trump’s Attorney General. Moody appears to be the odds-on favorite for a U.S. Senate seat appointment. Fox won the election for State Attorney, and some allies hope she runs to succeed Moody for State Attorney (though many expect her to run for her local seat again).
But Ryan Modell is still dead, and his shooter remains free.
Ryan Modell, a native of Winter Park, died on March 20, 2016. Official reports show the 32-year-old entered the home of James Steven Taylor, whose apartment looked similar to that of Ryan Modell’s girlfriend. Taylor pushed the man out of his home as his wife called 911. Then Taylor grabbed a handgun and went outside, where he found Modell, shot and killed him after an apparent altercation.
Fox at the time served as Chief State Attorney and handled the case when it came in from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. She worked then for State Attorney Steve Russell, but her boss had already announced his retirement and Fox was running for his position. She ultimately determined Taylor should not be charged, citing the state’s “stand your ground” law that authorized deadly force by individuals who feel they or others around them face a physical threat.
Sandy Modell doesn’t believe the law applies, especially since police on the phone advised against Taylor leaving his home.
“Fox didn’t want to have a large crime to deal with during the election,” he said. “And she was courting the NRA.”
The powerful gun lobby has pushed for Florida to pass its expansive “stand your ground” law in the first place, and Modell believes the desire to win the endorsement of that group, which she did obtain, played a role in her decision not pursue charges. Modell ultimately provided support for Chris Crowley, a former prosecutor also running for State Attorney in 2018. He funded billboards in Lee County criticizing Fox as “nice to murderers” as the election unfolded. But Fox beat Crowley in a Republican Primary in August that year with more than 57% of the vote.
Two years later, Sandy Modell said he tried to reach Fox and see if she would reconsider now that she had won the State Attorney job. He reached out through a mutual acquaintance, Ralph Singer. Through the connection, Modell said he was told he should withdraw his support of Crowley in future bids. He did so in an email to Crowley that was forwarded to Singer, one which Singer forwarded to Fox’s official email.
Singer’s email also makes mention of a flyer published in the 2018 attacking Fox, which has been at the center of a Florida Bar complaint against Crowley that called Fox “corrupt” and attacking the fact her father has written a book supportive of Palestinian violence against Israel.
“They talked about Amira’s Muslim background. That’s true, and that’s factual,” Sandy Modell said. “But I had nothing to do with it. I’ve never seen it. I’ve asked people, ‘do you have any of those pamphlets, I’d like to see one.’ I’ve never seen it.”
Singer in his email to Fox said Modell acknowledged funding from a political committee likely helped pay for the pamphlets but he had nothing to do with production. Fox in an email to Singer said she assigned Sheriff Carmine Marceno “to make sure this happens” but does not explicitly agree to reopen the case. To this date, she never has.
Modell ultimately detailed all of this in both a complaint to the Florida Commission on Ethics and further in a short book, Murder and Corruption in Florida.
But the complaints at the state level ultimately went nowhere, leaving Sandy Modell frustrated both with the Ethics Commission and Attorney General’s Office. In a chapter of his book entitled “The Dirty Girls Club,” one opened with an illustration of pigs with the names “Pam,” “Ashley” and “Amira,” he details how he feels political favors protected Fox’s office from scrutiny.
Bondi, the Attorney General at the time of Ryan Modell’s 2016 death, had come under fire for allegations she dropped an investigation of Donald Trump’s around the same time she accepted a $25,000 campaign donation from the future president.
California and New York attorneys general had pursued litigation over Trump University and reached multimillion-dollar settlements, but because Florida opted against participating in the case, the state received nothing. When complaints were filed to the state about the decision, then-Gov. Rick Scott referred the matter to Fort Myers prosecutors, but Fox had deemed there was no inappropriate action on Bondi’s behalf.
Sandy Modell thinks that ensured the state would not step in when Fox’s office decided not to pursue charges on Taylor. Even after Bondi left office, he thinks attorneys for the state, most notably Chief Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Miller, continued to protect Fox for years over the matter. Miller stayed on after Moody won election to succeed Bondi as Attorney General in 2018.
When Sandy Modell filed an Ethics complaint against Fox in 2020, he hoped the Commission would at least investigate. But Miller, serving in her role as Advocate for Ethics Commission, submitted a nine-page report that there was no probable cause to believe Fox had solicited or received a favor in exchange for an action in her public capacity.
“I recommend that the Commission find no probable cause” that Fox violated the law, Miller wrote.
The Commission took that advice and determined in March 2022 and determined there was no evidence Fox had “considered initiation of prosecution in a homicide case in return for a promise not to support, financially or otherwise, a political opponent.”
Since then, Miller resigned her position with the Attorney General’s Office amid a probe that she misused the state’s Driver and Vehicle Information Database to look up information on an individual. Details were reported by the Florida Bulldog earlier this year. Miller did not return an email about the Modell case. The Ethics Commission provided all reports on the handling of its case.
Modell has tried in every way he can think to urge some prosecutor to take up the case. He donated money to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ gubernatorial campaign in 2018 and said he spoke to him about moving the case to another jurisdiction if he won, but said the Governor hasn’t returned calls since winning election. Modell even funded a billboard in New Hampshire while DeSantis campaigned for President hoping to draw attention to the inattention to the case.
The Governor’s Office and Attorney General’s Office have not responded to inquiries about the case.
Sandy Modell notes his son died barely more than a year after his own wife died.
“I spent 35 years raising a family and lost two out of three in 14 months,” he said, “and that’s bad. But what’s worse is the government saying it’s not convenient for us to do anything about it for things that have nothing to do with the crime.”
43 comments
EARL PITTS "Ron's Official "UnOffical" Campaign Manager" AMERICAN
December 26, 2024 at 8:35 am
Good Morn ‘Ting America,
You can stand your ground in Florida. But you cant leave your home, go outside to where the man who whizzed you off is standing, and shoot him down in cold blood.
I, EARL PITTS AMERICAN, am calling upon Ron and his Lovely Wife Casey Desantis to investigate this situation, which, as you can see, is going to become a much larger issue when we are activelly campaigning for your TWO TERMS as POTUS following Trump’s current term in Our Great Nation’s White House.
Thank you America thank you Ron & Casey,
EARL PITTS “Ron’s Official “UnOffical” Campaign Manager” AMERICAN
RSLewis
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December 26, 2024 at 12:48 pm
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Steven M. Harris, Attorney-at-Law
December 27, 2024 at 9:47 am
You have misstated the facts as determined by the investigation, which included witness input. There is no basis for the governor’s intervention, and there is nothing he could do if he wanted.
Going outside to confront a trespasser may be stupid, but it is not unlawful.
Mike
December 27, 2024 at 8:10 pm
Actually, shooting people is against the law.
As an attorney, you know fully well that re-engagement, pursuit, and fatally attacking an unarmed man sitting peacefully on your neighbor’s property isn’t protected by Stand Your Ground. It’s just murder, and that’s exactly what the police concluded.
Get the facts. Read the victim’s father’s book, Murder & Corruption In Florida, which includes testimony by the lead Detective on the case.
Finally, the Governor has the authority to move the case to a non-biased Judicial Circuit for an honest review.
Steven M. Harris, Attorney-at-Law
December 28, 2024 at 7:47 am
I don’t need to read the Modell book to learn the facts of the incident. Or listen to anything Mark O’Mara has to say or write. What you wrote — “re-engagement, pursuit, and fatally attacking an unarmed man sitting peacefully on your neighbor’s property” are not the facts that would be shown at trial. You don’t understand the law and how use of force cases are properly framed. One is absolutely entitled to go outside (armed or unarmed) and confront a trespasser or vandal, no matter how dangerous or stupid.
Sure, socially and morally, it appears to be an unlawful/unnecessary killing. To me too. However, wise judges in self-defense cases have properly rejected such incorrect analysis. Looking for trouble or being a foolish gun toter aren’t legal principles which negate justification for use of force. What you would like to apply is the law in Canada, not Florida.
A good defense lawyer with an educated, impartial judge would get pretrial immunity and case dismissed. The State Attorney in my opinion was correct in the analysis that guilt beyond a reasonable doubt could not be presented. As for any incompetence or improper motive on the part of the State Attorney, that may or may not be so, but isn’t part of my analysis.
Steven M. Harris, Attorney-at-Law
December 28, 2024 at 7:49 am
As for the “lead detective.” Not an expert on the law of justified use of force in Florida. Not even close.
Sandy Modell
December 28, 2024 at 11:23 pm
Thanks for the support, Mike. However, I think you, Atty Harris, and Paul have all gotten off track. This article was about Elizabeth “Buff” Miller, former Florida Asst AG. Records show that AG Bondi had her spend several years pursuing the Governor’s likely opponents. She also advised the Ethics Commission. Even though Probable Cause is a low bar, she always advised that there was no Probable Cause for any cases involving Republican “friends.” The cases were always dismissed. She protected State Attorney Fox on at least 6 cases. Fox didn’t even attend to defend herself because she knew the fix was in. Fox had earned this protection for dismissing the Bondi – Trump University case. Since the article appeared three days ago, I have been contacted by staffers for a Senator on the Judiciary Committee. It seemed clear that the Trump University case, the Fox dismissal, and Elizabeth Miller’s supervision will all be topics at Bondi’s confirmation hearing.
Atty Harris seems to have a keen interest in my son’s case. However, he offers opinion as fact. For example, his statement about the Governor’s powers is incorrect. He doesn’t need facts, my book, the LSCO investigation, Atty O’Mara’s opinion, or any of the other experts who have reviewed the case and called it murder. I assume he’s drawing upon his experience defending “Stand Your Ground” (SYG) murder cases. I baffled that he believes the facts of the case wouldn’t have been allowed at trial. Then why have a trial?
Some points to consider:
* There was no intruder, and there was no entry. Just a drunk kid on a doorstep in a bathing suit, who had celebrated a new job too much, rang the wrong doorbell, and then left the property.
* SYG requires a single continuous event. My son left and the killer was in his house behind a locked door. The police notified him they were en route, and to remain in the house. Instead, the killer testified that he waited 5-6 minutes, got his gun, an went back outside. That’s re-engagement, which eliminates SYG as a defense because the killer was now the aggressor.
* The killer then “hunted” (per police) for my son. That’s pursuit, which would also eliminate SYG as a defense.
* The killer found my son seated on his neighbor’s property facing in the opposite direction. He pointed his gun and yelled at Ryan. This also eliminates SYG because you claim you fear the problem you caused. Additionally, I’ve been advised that pointing a gun at someone who isn’t a threat, is Felony Assault in Florida. I’ve also been advised that at that point my son’s actions would be entitled to SYG protection as he was being threatened.
* SYG is not a hall pass for murder. In Atty Harris’ legal explanation we can all kill each other…legally!
These facts would have all come out at a Grand Jury, but the SAO refused our request on multiple occasions. There was a close race for the open State Attorney seat, and they desperately needed the Florida NRA endorsement. So it had to be SYG, but a Grand Jury would have indicted the killer. Interestingly, the State Attorney has continuously refused to explain the SYG decision to my family, my attorneys, or members of the press. What is she hiding?
Fortunately, there is no Statute of Limitations on murder. I now have reason to expect an indictment sometime next year, and eventually a trial and conviction.
James Steven Taylor
January 4, 2025 at 6:24 pm
I’m gonna sue you and win
Peter Motz
December 31, 2024 at 10:16 am
Going outside the safety of your home, armed with a gun, to confront an unarmed trespasser who is no longer trespassing on your property is not standing your ground. It is cold blooded murder.
James Steven Taylor
January 4, 2025 at 6:18 pm
Thanks for the input judge Judy
James Steven Taylor
January 4, 2025 at 6:24 pm
Thanks judge Judy
James Steven Taylor
January 4, 2025 at 6:19 pm
You may be stupid
James Steven Taylor
January 4, 2025 at 6:18 pm
F off Earl Pitts
Cindy
December 26, 2024 at 9:44 am
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Paul Passarelli
December 26, 2024 at 3:55 pm
Huh? So a guy enters the “wrong” apartment, but proceeds to assault the rightful occupant, then gets himself dead? I don’t see a problem.
The dead guy should have paused immediately when he assaulted someone that he didn’t know. If he had had the good sense to apologize & withdraw he would almost certainly still be alive. The fact that he entered the wrong apartment was 100% HIS FAULT. The rightful occupant had no way of knowing of the dead kid’s mistake, nor should he be required to evaluate that possibility when his home was forcefully entered and he was assaulted.
The dead kid’s father should be trying to educate other kids into not repeating his son’s errors. Not trying to get an innocent man convicted for a ‘non-crime’ or seeking compensation from the taxpayers!
Sandy Modell
December 28, 2024 at 11:30 pm
Paul, you are correct, except that there was no entry and no assault. My son left the doorstep and the killer was inside behind a locked door with the police on the way. They instructed him to stay in his home, but after waiting 5 minutes, the killer got his gun and went outside to find my son. He found him in a neighbor’s yard, ignited an argument, and shot an unarmed man. I wrote a more detailed response above to Mike. Or, you can read the police report.
BTW, I’ve never tried to get a dime from any government agency or taxpayers.
James Steven Taylor
January 4, 2025 at 6:20 pm
Your dead kids blood was inside my home. You want a picture? Ass hat?
Dale
January 6, 2025 at 8:25 pm
You are really a sick and twisted individual to be so proud of taking a man’s life
Chris Crowley
December 29, 2024 at 10:06 pm
That’s not what happened. Ryan Modell had left the premises, the police were on their way and told everyone to stay inside. The killer walked outside of his home and shot unarmed Ryan two houses away. This was not stand your ground, nor was it self defense. The killer chased down Ryan Modell. That’s why the cops called it a homicide.
James Steven Taylor
January 4, 2025 at 6:16 pm
To comment on the events of the evening makes you a fool. You were not there. You give veterans a bad name.
Steven M. Harris, Attorney-at-Law
December 27, 2024 at 9:41 am
Every point Mr. Modell or hi proxies have asserted for years in analyzing the killing of his son are simply incorrect. Factually or legally. Some are legally irrelevant., including notions of “Stand Your Ground.”
Officials made the legally correct prosecutorial decision. However distasteful or seemingly unsympathetic to Mr. Modell.
Steven M. Harris, Attorney-at-Law
December 27, 2024 at 9:42 am
Every point Mr. Modell or his proxies have asserted for years in analyzing the killing of his son are simply incorrect. Factually or legally. Some are legally irrelevant., including notions of “Stand Your Ground.”
Officials made the legally correct prosecutorial decision. However distasteful or seemingly unsympathetic to Mr. Modell.
Christopher Crowley
December 29, 2024 at 1:32 pm
As an attorney and former prosecutor, who has worked in both state and federal law enforcement, this is not a case of “stand your ground” nor “self-defense.” This is a case of homicide that will not be prosecuted for political reasons. The Lee County Sheriff’s office detectives who investigated the case requested the case be prosecuted, but Amira Fox refuses to prosecute for “political reasons.”
James Steven Taylor
January 4, 2025 at 6:21 pm
You embarrass yourself with words
Cindy
December 27, 2024 at 5:28 pm
People make apt mistakes.all the time. doors look a like….people get disoriented at times , other things on the mind..
Cindy
December 27, 2024 at 5:32 pm
Apt door disoriented is common. People make mistakes like that all the time
Christopher Crowley
December 29, 2024 at 1:34 pm
The victim, Ryan Modell, has retreated in this case, You have no right to chase after anyone, shoot an unarmed person, then call it “Stand Your Ground.” This is a homicide that should have been prosecuted. Typical of the corrupt politics of Lee County.
Paulita Kundid
December 31, 2024 at 11:58 am
When there is such a clear dispute of facts, let a jury decide. Reopen the case and get to the bottom of this.
Why is the prosecutor not wanting to let justice play out in a court of law. Makes one wonder .
Clearly a man hunting down a defenseless young man outside of his locked home is not SYG.
This case should be reopened.
James Steven Taylor
January 4, 2025 at 6:26 pm
Go back to Pakistan
Christie
January 1, 2025 at 5:16 pm
The price of mistaking another home for his own, and then leaving, should not be to lose his life!
This is why we have the jury trial system. The lead detective called it murder. Let a jury hear the facts and decide, and take any and all politics out of the equation.
James Steven Taylor
January 4, 2025 at 6:27 pm
Lead detective is corrupt or mentally deficient
Nicole
January 2, 2025 at 6:02 pm
This is not stand your ground. Ryan did not deserve to be hunted down and murdered. This case should absolutely be reopened.
Dale
January 2, 2025 at 6:08 pm
I am a firm believer of the stand your ground law however, this was not stand your ground. This was leave your ground go get a gun leave your ground again and go find the person who mistakenly came to your door. He never should’ve left his apartment, much less leaving it after he grabbed a gun. The other person call 911 and the door was shut and there was not threat. He went and reinserted himself into the situation pure and simple. He should be on trial at the very least.
James Steven Taylor
January 4, 2025 at 6:27 pm
Sorry Dale you lose
Mitch
January 2, 2025 at 6:43 pm
I hate when people manipulate the law to try to justify their answer and not what the truth is. Stand your ground was over as soon as Ryan walked away ,911 had been called. The gentleman had closed his door. There’s no longer a present threat. There’s no ground that you need to stand on. He then chose to grab a gun and go after and confront Ryan. I’m sure there’s a lot of facts we may be missing, but there’s no way you can tell me that this should not have been brought to trial
James Steven Taylor
January 4, 2025 at 6:28 pm
Jackoff
Cam
January 2, 2025 at 6:47 pm
I’m sure there’s a lot we don’t know in complete detail but what we do know seems to be pretty apparent. Ryan was intoxicated went to the wrong apartment. The guy told him it’s not his apartment. They argued because Ryan was intoxicated and thought it was his apartment. Ryan then left while he was there the girlfriend or whoever called 911 then the gentleman inside the apartment went further into his apartment, grabbed a gun, and then left his apartment. Looking for an additional confrontation. He should be tried in a court of law. no questions asked. It’s really not that complicited
James Steven Taylor
January 4, 2025 at 6:28 pm
Welcome to Russia
Maureen
January 7, 2025 at 9:06 pm
Pakistan??? You’re that illiterate! JSYK… In Florida, there is no statute of limitations for first-degree murder, meaning someone can be charged with murder after the fact at any time, regardless of how long ago the crime occurred; essentially, a person can be charged with murder “after the fact” at any point in their life if new evidence emerges…maybe you need to go to Pakistan!
DWN
January 3, 2025 at 7:48 am
If – IF – Ryan Modell was any sort of threat to the Steven Taylor, he certainly wasn’t once he’d left Taylor’s unit and was sitting on a step roughly 50 feet away. Taylor was instructed by the 911 dispatcher to stay in his unit, behind the locked door and wait. He was NOT instructed to wait several minutes, take a loaded gun, leave his unit and track down Ryan Modell. Stand Your (Taylor’s) Ground? Taylor had left his unit (his ground) to needlessly confront an accidental, though inebriated, intruder who by no one’s standards had any ill intent. One legal concept is that of “proportionate response,” and I can’t comprehend how anyone would think Taylor’s actions were commensurate to the actual threat and warranted ignoring the dispatcher’s clear instructions.
Amira Fox’s failure to let a jury decide is, in my opinion, the result of either incompetence, negligence or political expedience.
Christopher Crowley
January 5, 2025 at 7:19 pm
James Steven Taylor, you committed murder and you know it. Ryan had left your premises, the door was locked, the cops were on there way and told both you and your wife to stay inside. You went outside anyway and shot an unarmed man. There should have been a grand jury and you should have been charged and now you should be in prison.
Patty
January 8, 2025 at 5:00 pm
Mr. Taylor demonstrates in his many many crazy comments just how unstable he is. This is even more reason to bring this matter to justice before he commits another insane act and hurts another innocent person.
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