Murder conviction, restaurant farewell & more: The week’s top Coral Springs stories

From a long-awaited murder conviction to a beloved pizzeria’s farewell, Coral Springs saw a busy week of news.

Missed the headlines? Here’s a roundup of the top stories from this week in your city:

• Justice served: A jury convicted Torrey Holston and Jose Garcia Romero of murder in the 2019 killing of Coral Springs firefighter Christopher Randazzo. The two men robbed Randazzo of his phone, wallet and shoes, then returned and shot him when he refused to unlock his passcode-protected phone, police say, and they now face automatic life sentences.
• Farewell, La Fontana: After 18 years at The Walk on University Drive, La Fontana Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant will permanently close next month. Owners Spartaco and Tony Tare are returning to Europe, and diners have until Father’s Day, June 21, to enjoy their final meal.
• New flavors arrive: Pleasure Caribbean Cuisine recently opened in Riverside Plaza, bringing Creole specialties to Coral Springs. Owners Betanie Henry and chef Richemond Belice, who also run Unique Park Restaurant in Pompano Beach, serve hearty stews, fritay platters, deep fried pork griot and a Sunday-only pumpkin soup.
• Juneteenth headliner: Award-winning radio host and comedian Rickey Smiley is coming to the Coral Springs Center for the Arts to celebrate Juneteenth. Smiley, who will be inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in October, recently wrote “Sideshow,” a book about grief following the death of his son Brandon in January 2023.
• Payroll fraud bust: A 40-year-old Coral Springs resident was arrested and accused of stealing $1.5 million from a Miami doctor’s office where she worked as payroll manager. Police say from September 2021 to January 2024 she nearly doubled her own salary, gave herself bonuses up to $25,000 and charged $411,737 in personal expenses to the company credit card.
• A/C scrap arrests: Coral Springs police arrested two men after a string of air conditioner parts burglaries from vacant buildings that caused more than $200,000 in damage. Officers caught one of the men tampering with units on the roof of a vacant former Walgreens, days after security footage showed the pair using bolt cutters at the Village Green Shopping Center.
• Massage therapist convicted: A jury found a 44-year-old man guilty of sexual battery without great force and false imprisonment stemming from an April 2024 incident at his Coral Springs home. The man had been fired from Elements Massage for failing to adhere to safety and drapery practices, and his sentencing is scheduled for July 10.
• E. coli precaution: The Kebab Shop in Coral Springs pulled beef kofta from its menu after the protein was linked to an E. coli outbreak at a California location. The California Department of Health traced the outbreak to a single supplier, Olympia Foods, and at least nine California residents were infected, with five hospitalized.
• Senate shakeup: State Sen. Tina Polsky announced she will not seek re-election in Senate District 30 and has endorsed former state Sen. Lauren Book to succeed her. Book, who led the state Democratic caucus and served from 2016 to 2024, faces Republican Jerusa Zitta as her sole competitor as of May 27.
• Dance in her honor: Coral Springs will host a free Caribbean dance workout at City Hall Lawn on June 10 honoring late vice mayor Nancy Metayer. The 6 to 7 p.m. class, led by Margate-based In De Fete Fitness, will feature Soca, Reggae, Compa, Zouk and Afrobeats music; registration is required.

This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists.