Murder charge against man accused in deadly shooting outside Orlando nightclub dropped
Bond set at $75K for man accused in deadly shooting outside Savoy
A judge has set bond at $75,000 for a man accused of fatally shooting another man outside an Orlando nightclub last month.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Prosecutors have declined to pursue charges against a man arrested in connection with a deadly shooting outside an Orlando nightclub after determining they could not disprove his self-defense claim beyond a reasonable doubt.
Jean Gabriel Borja Gil De La Madr, 37, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder with a firearm following the Feb. 22 shooting death of 33-year-old Julien Emmanuel Cruz outside Savoy Orlando.
The backstory:
According to the Orlando Police Department, the shooting occurred around 2:30 a.m. after a confrontation between the two men escalated into a physical altercation on a sidewalk outside the nightclub. Investigators initially alleged Borja retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and shot Cruz, who later died at a hospital.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX LOCAL APP
Borja fled the scene but was later located and arrested.
Jean Gabriel Borja Gil De La Madr
In a court filing dated June 9, the State Attorney's Office announced it would not file charges in the case, stating prosecutors were "unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt" that Borja's use of force was unjustified.
Self-defense argument
What they're saying:
Borja's attorney, Mark O'Mara, argued during a March bond hearing that his client acted in self-defense. O'Mara told the court that surveillance video showed Cruz approaching Borja's vehicle before the shooting and contended Borja was attempting to leave the area when he was confronted.
SIGN-UP FOR FOX 35'S BREAKING NEWS, DAILY NEWS NEWSLETTERS
"I don't think he was the aggressor to begin with," O'Mara said during the hearing.
Several videos were reviewed in court as part of the defense's argument. O'Mara maintained that Cruz and others became the aggressors by pursuing Borja as he attempted to leave.
A judge previously granted Borja a $75,000 bond while the case remained under review.
The Orlando Police Department investigated the shooting, and prosecutors ultimately determined the evidence was insufficient to overcome the claim of self-defense beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Orlando Police Department, a bond hearing on March 2, 2026, and a court filing on June 9, 2026.