VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – The 83-year-old man accused of fatally shooting the owner of a jewelry store in Daytona Beach last month has been indicted on a murder charge.
John Craiger — who’s accused of killing Ghazi Osta on July 19 before being shot himself by Osta’s son — was indicted this week on a charge of first-degree murder, the State Attorney’s Office of the Seventh Judicial Circuit said Friday on social media.
Craiger was booked into jail on July 31 and faces life in prison without parole, or the death penalty, if convicted.
Ghazi Osta was fatally shot in his own store — Volusia Gold & Diamond, located at 536 W. International Speedway Blvd. — where his wife Leigh Osta said Craiger was a frequent customer.
According to Leigh Osta, Craiger had even become friends with her husband, and she says the 83-year-old started leaning on him for too much, so he pulled back.
“He came back a couple of weeks ago to sell some jewelry and my husband wasn’t interested. I think the jewelry was more or less a roost to get my husband to start up a bond again,” she said.
Ghazi Osta and Craiger had reportedly begun arguing when the shooting occurred.
Referencing surveillance video, Daytona Beach police said Craiger walked away from the counter where he had been arguing with Ghazi Osta before pulling out a revolver, turning around and shooting him.
Two store employees, one of whom was Ghazi Osta’s son, then went after Craiger; Ghazi Osta’s son managed to shoot Craiger while the other employee struck Craiger in the head with a small statue and put him in a headlock, police said.
“My son stayed with my husband until the ambulance arrived,” Leigh Osta said.
A GoFundMe has been established to help financially support the Osta family. Find it by clicking here.
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