The Deltona man, Florida, was engaged to his bride and was planning his wedding when he was tragically shot at his home.
Patrick De La Cerda was looking forward to his future wedding with Jessica Devnani, his fiancee. In June 2017, the couple met through Plenty Fish, a dating app.
In a matter of months, their relationship blossomed quickly. They traveled together and explored the world together.
Patrick De La Cerda had shared with Patricia Ronze his feelings about Jessica Devnani. “…one morning he came and said: ‘Mom. This one is the one.'” Ronze, who was pictured with her son, shared their feelings in “48 Hours.”
Patrick and Jessica planned to wed in West Palm Beach, Florida, or France where his mother was originally from.
Max De La Cerda says that he could tell Jessica Devnani was special to him. “… Patrick loved her,” Max De la Cerda said to “48 Hours.” “And Jessica loved his more than anything.”
Patrick De La Cerda proposed to Jessica Devnani in December 2017. He presented her with this temporary engagement ring. Devnani said, “48 Hours” that he was thrilled to give her this temporary engagement ring. Patrick planned to gift her a custom-made diamond engagement ring.
Max De La Cerda was notified by a phone call that a package had been delivered to his Deltona, Fla. home. This was the first time Max received the call. Patrick was expecting to get Jessica Devnani’s permanent engagement ring any day. Max did not hear from Patrick and Jessica didn’t try to contact him.
Jessica Devnani was concerned and ran to Patrick’s house, where she found Patrick lying in a pool blood. He had been shot four more times. She said that “my whole future was taken from me”, and “48 Hours” that “my whole world was taken.”
Investigators searched Patrick De La Cerda’s home at the crime scene. The killer had taken Patrick’s computer from his home’s security system and his hard drive.
Investigators were able find unusual shell casings made from 300 Blackout ammunition and bullets used in semiautomatic weapons such as an AR-15. “48 Hours” reported that lead detective Chad Weaver from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said, “You know, right away you’re going… OK, this is probably going be a whodunit.”
Jessica Devnani, before she met Patrick De La Cerda was in an eight-year, turbulent relationship with Gregory Bender (a successful hedge fund manager). Devnani stated that Bender can be possessive.
She told “48 Hours” that she never worried about what he would do to her, but was more concerned about what he might do to other men. They got married.
Gregory Bender was in hospital recovering from a procedure. Jessica Devnani claims she met another woman at his bedside. “And I told him, I’m like his fiancée, and I showed the ring to her. Then she showed me her ring. She was like, “I’m his wife!” Devnani ended her relationship with Bender.
One person couldn’t stand to see Patrick De La Cerda and Jessica Devnani in love. Gregory Bender was that man. Devnani claims that Bender often left threatening messages for Patrick and her. Jessica had sent one of these voicemails to “48 Hours”, which said: “I’m giving directions.” Bender stated that he was going to put his plan into action.
Jessica Devnani, who was at the time with Patrick De La Cerda and Jessica Devnani, claims Gregory Bender invited Gregory Bender out to dinner on multiple occasions. She said that Bender was upset, and she was trying calm him down. Devnani stated that Bender said that he wouldn’t hard anyone if she went to him. She didn’t realize that Bender had hired a private investigator who secretly recorded them dining at different restaurants. The recordings were then sent to Patrick by the private investigator.
Both Patrick De La Cerda and Jessica Devnani got fed up with Gregory Bender’s antics. With the mountains of evidence Devnani had, Devnani was able file a restraining orders against Bender. Bender was unable to contact Devnani and had to surrender all his firearms to the authorities.
Patrick De La Cerda’s and Jessica Devnani’s dreams were crushed that February morning when Jessica discovered Patrick dead. She received two calls earlier that morning from Gregory Bender. He had not called her in several months. She said she believed Greg had killed Patrick.
Chad Weaver would likely hear Gregory Bender’s name again. He stated that Daymara Sanchez, Bender’s ex-wife, had called him to inquire about Patrick De la Cerda. “…she discovered what she believed was a murder plot in a spiral notebook she had seen Gregory write in the past.” Det. Weaver said “48 Hours.”
Investigators were able to execute a search warrant for Gregory Bender’s home after receiving a tip from Gregory Bender’s ex-wife. They found a similar plot to murder as Daymara Sanchez had described and they also found the same bullet casings at the crime scene. Although Bender was arrested for murder, there was no evidence or murder weapon to support the claim that he was the killer.
Gregory Bender was tried three years after Patrick De la Cerda died. He went on trial May 25, 2021. Both Jessica Devani, Daymara Sanchez and Bender were involved in the week-long trial. Bender’s defense attorney stated to jurors that Bender shouldn’t be punished for writing down a fantasy.
Richard Parker, defense attorney, stated in court that this case was about the difference between reality and fantasy. “People shouldn’t be judged on the worst of their thoughts simply because they put them down on paper. They are doing that in this case.
Gregory Bender was found guilty of murder after four days of testimony. Bender was sentenced for life without parole. Jessica Devnani stated, “We finally did it.” “We received the guilty verdict.” His lawyers claim that they will appeal his conviction. They claim that the illegal search of Bender’s house which produced the murder plot was unlawful.
Jessica Devnani’s family is angry at the restraining orders because it did not save Patrick’s lives, despite getting justice. Gregory Bender was ordered to surrender his gun collection to Orange County Sheriff’s Office. He didn’t do it and law enforcement was unable to seize the weapons without probable cause.
Jessica said, “It failed us.” It failed Patrick.
Jessica Devnani, who is now behind bars for Gregory Bender’s murder, says that she will continue to love Patrick De La Cerda. Jessica said that she will continue to love Patrick De La Cerda for the rest of her lives and into the future.
