Kyle Farishian had no idea that his seemingly innocuous profession as a 7-Eleven store clerk would lead to his gruesome assassination.
In a tragic turn of events, on November 1, 2015, an assailant rushed into the store and shot Kyle before setting the store on fire.
‘See No Evil: Night Shift,’ a documentary on Investigation Discovery, explores the terrible murder and shows how CCTV cameras played a key role.
Let’s get into the case details and figure out where Kyle’s killer is hiding out.
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What Caused Kyle Farishian’s Death?
Kyle Farishian, who lived in Punta Gorda, Florida, was eighteen years old at the time of his murder.
Kyle worked as a retail cashier at a local 7-Eleven and was described as a kind-hearted person who welcomed everyone with a grin.
He was also well-liked in his neighbourhood, with many people praising him for being down-to-earth. So when a senseless crime took his life, it was a bad day indeed.
On November 1, 2015, Kyle was working at a 7-Eleven when a man entered the store carrying a can of gasoline in one hand.
The attacker, unbeknownst to Kyle, had a gun hidden in his other hand, and when the store clerk approached him, he shot him in the head.
Kyle survived the first shot, but as he lay dying in anguish, the heartless killer shot him a second time, murdering him instantly.
He then grabbed the gasoline and attempted to light the body and the counter on fire. According to the episode, it took the assailant almost three tries to create a fire, after which he quickly fled.
When emergency personnel were alerted to the fire, they rushed to the scene to put it out. Kyle’s body was eventually recovered, and an examination revealed that he died of gunshot wounds.
Who Was Kyle Farishian’s Killer?
Because the authorities had no leads to work with, the first investigation into Kyle’s murder proved difficult.
There were no eyewitnesses, and Kyle had no known opponents with whom he could hold a grudge strong enough to justify murder. Even his family was baffled as to why someone would choose to harm the eighteen-year-old.
The cops learned that the entire 7-Eleven store was under 24-hour CCTV surveillance just as the investigation was coming to a halt.
Authorities withdrew the feed from November 1 after concluding that the camera footage would aid in the investigation of the murder.
The cops were finally able to spot a man enter inside the 7-Eleven store around the time of the murder after reviewing through hours of footage.
Despite the fact that the entire episode, including the arson, was captured on camera, the perpetrator was careful enough to wear gloves and cover his head with a hoodie.
However, the criminal walked with a limp and moved with a distinct mannerism, prompting the authorities to disseminate the video to the public in the hopes of securing a lead.
According to the show, the police received a complaint from a man who said that his neighbour had the same limp and mannerism as the man in the video.
The caller went on to say that his neighbour had the same camo trousers as the culprit in the video.
The police pursued the lead since it was valuable, and they were led straight to Michael Russo. Despite Michael’s denials, officials obtained a search order for his home and discovered a gasoline can, which was ultimately proved to be the one used in the murder.
Furthermore, the criminal had left one of his gloves on the site when attempting to start the fire, aiding in the identification of Russo as the perpetrator.
Law enforcement personnel were ultimately able to apprehend Russo after having actual evidence in their hands.
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What Has Happened to Michael Russo And Where Is He Now?
Russo entered a not guilty plea after being brought before the judge. The jury, however, did not agree with him and found him guilty of second-degree murder and first-degree arson.
In 2017, he was condemned to life in prison with an additional 25 to 30-year concurrent term.
Russo is currently detained at the Central Florida Reception Center – East in Orlando, Florida, as he is not eligible for release.