Man admits he killed 10-year-old boy in 2013 nail salon shooting in NW Miami-Dade

A convicted felon avoided going to trial and pleaded guilty to killing a 10-year-old in a 2013 shooting inside the boy’s father’s nail salon in northwest Miami-Dade.

Anthawn Ragan, 31, pleaded guilty on Thursday to 15 criminal counts including robbery, assault, and first-degree murder for killing Aaron Vu and attempted murder charges for shooting Vu’s father, Hai Vu, in the Nov. 22, 2013 crime.

According to records, Ragan was caught on video barging into the nail salon at 14832 Northwest 7th Avenue where he opened fire. He and another suspect fled the scene.

The two victims who were struck were taken to a nearby hospital, where the boy was pronounced dead, police said. Vu’s father survived.

Ragan shockingly decided to waive his trial on Thursday, where jurors would have decided whether or not he was the shooter who walked into the crowded nail salon to open fire.

Because the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office has not waived the death penalty, and since Ragan is now convicted on first-degree murder for th case, there will now be a penalty phase where Ragan could be sentenced to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Ragan on Thursday also waived a jury for the penalty phase, and now Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez will have the final and only say on the convicted killer’s sentencing. The judge will hear evidence on the case and decide on sentencing at the end, without a jury’s recommendation.

Last May, Ragan avoided the death penalty when jurors recommended he should serve life in prison for the killing of 21-year-old Luis Perez at the Motel 7 at 13445 Northwest 7th Avenue on Nov. 1, 2013.

Prosecutors said in that trial how Ragan skipped away like a child after killing Perez at the motel.

However, the jurors spared his life. Ragan was also involved in a 2013 robbery at a Royal Castle in North Miami at gunpoint.

The penalty phase is set to begin February 9.