Florida man arrested after robbing, killing Leesburg store owner: Officials

LEESBURG, Fla. - A man accused of robbing and killing a Leesburg store owner has been arrested nearly a month after the murder, officials said. 

Alez Lopez, 25, of Wildwood, was arrested by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in the Kissimmee area on Wednesday. He is accused of walking into the M&M Food Mart and killing 51-year-old Raied Shihadeh, who was working the register on May 30. 

The robbery, which happened just after 9 p.m., left Shihadeh's family devastated, who raised money to help locate Lopez, who also allegedly robbed the store that night. 

Shihadeh was also on Facetime with his wife when he was murdered. 

"He was there working hard for his family," said Monique Shihadeh, Raied Shihadeh's wife in an earlier interview with FOX 35. "And this scum of the earth came in and took him from us." 

Lopez faces multiple charges once apprehended, including murder, armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and use of a firearm during a felony. 

Alez Lopez, 25, of Wildwood, was arrested by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in the Kissimmee area on Wednesday. He is accused of walking into the M&M Food Mart and killing 51-year-old Raied Shihadeh, who was working the register on May

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Surveillance video shows Lopez walking into the convenience store and allegedly shooting the clerk several times before hopping over the counter and eventually leaving the store. 

Shihadeh was found unconscious on the floor with at least one gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital, where he died. 

Court records reveal Lopez has open cases in Sumter County. In November, he was arrested twice for grand theft of a vehicle, burglary, and battery. He was released from jail in February. Additionally, Lopez has prior felony convictions for burglary and grand theft in Lake County since 2020.