Witness in Miami football murder case found alive after authorities presumed him dead

A key witness in the 2006 murder of Miami Hurricanes football player Bryan Pata has been found alive after authorities previously believed him dead, a development that could affect the long-delayed case against suspect Rashaun Jones.

Paul Conner, 81, who testified that he saw a man jogging after a loud pop at the apartment complex where Pata lived, was located last month at his home in Louisville, ESPN reported. Prosecutors had told a Florida judge as recently as July that Conner was deceased, citing a public database that appeared to show his date of death. ESPN reported that the discrepancy could influence the case, which has stalled while prosecutors and defense teams prepare for trial.

Jones, now 38, is charged with Pata's murder outside the same apartment complex on Nov. 7, 2006. He has pleaded not guilty and has faced repeated scheduling setbacks; his trial is now set to begin Oct. 6 after years of delays. Conner's prior identification of Jones in a lineup helped prosecutors' theory that the gunman was involved in the death, though Conner has recently said he does not recall the incident or his earlier statements.

Conner told ESPN that he could not recall the incident or his prior statements and asked how long ago the case happened. The revelation that Conner is alive rather than deceased has prompted questions about the reliability of public databases used in courtroom filings and whether any related filings or timelines might need review.

Bryan Pata, a Hurricanes standout who played as a defensive end, was shot and killed outside his apartment during an evening of training; he was projected to be an NFL Draft pick the following year.

Sources say the trial has been delayed repeatedly, but is scheduled to proceed on Oct. 6; the ongoing issues around a key witness's status add a new wrinkle to a case that has persisted for nearly two decades.