Man gets 19 years in slaying of FAU student

A 25-year-old man was sentenced Tuesday to prison for his role in the slaying of a Florida Atlantic University student during a robbery near the Boca Raton campus two years ago.

Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Jeffrey Colbath ordered 19 years for Rodrick Demetrius Woods, following a guilty plea.

“It hurts to relive this all over again,” Maximino Acosta, the victim’s father, said. “They should live their life in jail, knowing they took a life.”

Nicholas Acosta was in his second year at the university. His parents said he was a caring son and brother whose death 12 days before his 20th birthday has caused heartache and grief for the family.

“He had his whole life and career ahead of him,” Maximino Acosta said. “I lost my best friend.”

The two co-defendants considered by prosecutors to be most responsible for the Dec. 29, 2015 death of 19-year-old Acosta are already in prison.

Alexander Gillis, 24, formerly of Miami Gardens, admitted he shot Acosta twice at close range during a marijuana heist at the victim’s apartment. He’s serving a 48-year sentence.

The accused mastermind of the robbery, Donovan Henry, got a 35-year term, after he was convicted by a jury. The 20-year-old Henry, a former FAU freshman soccer player from Miramar, is appealing a punishment otherwise scheduled to end in 2050.

Under his plea deal, Woods faced a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

He was a key witness at Donovan Henry’s trial a year ago.

Woods said Henry brought together the group that robbed Acosta, executing a plan to trick him into letting them inside his apartment under the ruse of a drug buy.

Assistant Public Defender Scott Pribble asked the judge to use his discretion to go below the minimum sentence under state guidelines because prosecutors said Woods served a “vital role” in convicting Henry.

The attorney also cited his client’s remorse, good behavior in jail, and lack of any other violent crimes in his past.

Boca Raton Police Detective Scott Hanley said Tuesday the arrests made to date came after reviewing phone records and social media posts between the accomplices from before and after the shooting, as well as apartment complex and highway surveillance videos.

A fourth assailant, Adonis Gillis, pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in February.

He faces a sentence of 20 years to life, on the seconddegree murder, burglary, and robbery charges.

A fifth assailant, seen wearing a mask on surveillance footage from the University Park Apartments complex, has not been apprehended.

Woods