Stand Your Ground Victory: Murder Charges Dismissed for 16-Year-Old Client

At South Florida Justice, we fight for our clients when the stakes are highest. That commitment was put to the test when we took on the defense of Luis Resendizgama — a 16-year-old boy facing a first-degree murder charge that could have defined the rest of his life.

Today, we are proud to share that Luis is free. Circuit Judge James Nutt granted our Stand Your Ground motion, and all criminal charges have been dismissed.

The Case

On March 31, 2023, Luis — then just 16 years old — was involved in a confrontation with 33-year-old William Difonzo Jr. inside Difonzo's vehicle at the Meadowbrook Mobile Home Community in Palm Beach County. What happened inside that SUV became the central question of the entire case.

Luis was left bloodied, with visible signs of strangulation. His blood was found on Difonzo's knuckle and inside the car. A medical examiner confirmed the shooting occurred at close range — between six inches and two feet — consistent with the defense's position that Luis fired from inside the vehicle while being physically overpowered.

Investigators found a handwritten note at Luis's home in which he described the encounter, writing that he was scared for his life and didn't think he would ever see his family again.

The state charged him with first-degree murder.

Building the Defense

From the beginning, we knew this case came down to two critical questions: Where exactly did the shooting occur?And did Luis have any ability to retreat?

Under Florida's Stand Your Ground law, a person who has a lawful right to be in a location and reasonably believes their life is in danger has no duty to retreat. The state argued Luis had lost his right to be in the vehicle once a conflict arose, and that he may have been standing outside the SUV when he fired — which would have given him the opportunity to flee.

We challenged that theory with science and physical evidence.

Our investigator examined the bullet's trajectory through a hole in the rear driver's side window, which continued into a wall outside the parking lot. We photographed the SUV with its doors closed and demonstrated that the trajectory was only consistent with a shot fired from inside the vehicle — not from outside. Crucially, crime scene investigators had never closed the passenger-side door during their original examination, a significant oversight we brought directly to the court's attention.

We also presented evidence of Difonzo's violent history — including that in 2018, he successfully used his own Stand Your Ground defense after fatally striking someone outside a Lake Worth bar. This history was directly relevant to understanding why Luis reasonably feared for his life.

The Ruling

Judge Nutt acknowledged the difficulty of the case, noting that neither side's version of the facts was "fully consistent and persuasive" and that "much of the case has been left to speculation." But under Florida law, that uncertainty works in the defendant's favor. The burden falls on the state to disprove self-defense — and here, the state could not meet it.

"Even though there is a fair likelihood he did not and should not have escalated the use of force, the legislature has imposed a stricter burden upon the State which has not been met." — Circuit Judge James Nutt

No surveillance footage. No reliable eyewitnesses. And physical evidence that supported our client's account. The Stand Your Ground motion was granted.

What This Means

This outcome is a reminder of why Stand Your Ground protections exist. The law is designed to protect people who are genuinely fighting for their lives — including teenagers who find themselves in desperate, violent situations with no way out.

As we stated following the ruling:

"We believe the court reached the right outcome in this case. We are grateful that our client, Luis Resendizgama, who was only 16 at the time, received the full protection of the law. This decision underscores the importance of Florida's Stand Your Ground statute when applied as intended."

Luis has his life back. And that is why we do this work.

Facing Serious Criminal Charges in South Florida?

If you or a loved one is facing murder, manslaughter, or other serious criminal charges in Palm Beach County or the surrounding area, the attorneys at South Florida Justice are ready to fight for you. We handle complex, high-stakes cases and are not afraid to challenge the evidence — even when it matters most.

Contact us today for a confidential consultation.

Results in prior cases do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is unique and depends on its own facts and circumstances.

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