Released after almost 14 years in jail awaiting murder trial, Broward man shot to death

A Pompano Beach man who was arrested in 2007 on charges of murdering two convenience store clerks walked out of jail after accepting a plea deal almost 14 years later, in what had been one of the longest pending, untried cases in Broward.

He was shot to death one week ago, authorities say, after spending a little over a year free.

Marcus Lumsdon, 37, was shot multiple times in front of an apartment complex near the 300 block of Southwest Second Place in Pompano Beach on Jan. 28, according to a press release from the Broward Sheriff ’s Office.

A witness told deputies that Lumsdon was in the middle of a verbal altercation with multiple people outside of the apartment complex, and it turned physical.

Pompano Beach Fire Rescue transported him to Broward Health North, and he was pronounced dead around 12:30 a.m, according to the press release.

Lumsdon’s former defense attorney on the murder case, Ed Hoeg, identified the victim as his former client.

Hoeg said he heard the news the morning after the shooting, in a text from the former prosecutor on the case.

Lumsdon pled no contest in October 2021 to two counts of murder in the deaths of Sabri Khaleq, 63, and Adnan Khalil, 48, clerks at the Port Five Star Food Mart on the corner of Blanche Ely Avenue and Northwest 15th Street, in exchange for three years probation and credit for time served.

He had been arrested in October 2007, almost exactly 14 years before his release.

Throughout those years Lumsdon had insisted that he was innocent, refusing multiple plea deals, Hoeg said.

Four different attempts at jury selection were interrupted. Lumsdon’s family members said he was home watching cartoons at the time of the murders.

Hoeg maintained that, had the case gone to trial, the state would not have had enough evidence to convict his client.

Hoeg said he had spoken to Lumsdon a couple of weeks before his death. He was happy to be out but was struggling to find work and to get his disability benefits back.

“At least he had the last two years out with his family,” Hoeg said.

The Broward Sheriff ’s Office is seeking the public’s help in solving the case.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Det. Kristina Luna at 954-321-4356, submit a tip through the SaferWatch App, or contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493TIPS (8477).