Logan James Thompson

Logan James Thompson was a 19-year-old White man from Palm Bay, Florida. Described by loved ones as kind-hearted, funny, and goofy, he was remembered as the "Best Brother & Uncle Ever!" with a smile always on his face. He and his best friend, 19-year-old Joseph Mitchel Cardella of Melbourne, were inseparable.

On the afternoon of March 11, 2024, the two friends drove from their homes in Brevard County to the Vero Lake Estates neighborhood in Indian River County. License plate readers documented their Chrysler entering the county at 2:30 p.m. They had arranged to meet someone there to sell 1,300 THC vape pens for approximately $3,000. Around 3 p.m., a woman in the area of 77th Street and 105th Court called 911 after hearing loud noises and seeing a person lying in a front yard. First responders arrived to a fatal scene. Logan was found deceased on the road in front of the car, while Joseph was discovered in a nearby yard. Both had been shot and killed. Investigators later determined the two young men had been unarmed.

The investigation moved quickly. A teenager who had been with the shooter during the transaction was brought to the Sheriff’s Office by his family. He told detectives what had occurred and led them to the weapon, a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine that had been tossed into the woods. Based on this information, police served a search warrant at a home in Fellsmere at 1 a.m. the following morning.

Within 24 hours of the shooting, authorities arrested 17-year-old Jaime C. Mosqueda of Fellsmere. He was initially charged with two counts of murder. Mosqueda claimed he had acted in self-defense. The other teenager, who had first come forward as a witness, was also arrested.

The case concluded in court. In December 2025, Jaime Mosqueda pleaded guilty to several charges, including first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm. A judge sentenced him to 40 years in prison. The second suspect was adjudicated as a youthful offender and received a sentence of four years behind bars. The families of Logan Thompson and Joseph Cardella expressed frustration with the sentences, stating that justice had not been served for their loved ones.