Brandon Labiner, a former attorney from Boca Raton, Florida, accused of murdering his father, was found dead in his jail cell, an apparent suicide.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office reported the incident on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, following the October 5, 2023, indictment of Labiner for his father’s murder. The 34-year-old was charged with first-degree murder related to a July altercation and was due in court on November 28.
Labiner had a troubled history, including allegations of embezzling approximately $450,000 from a family trust fund, leading to a suspension of his law license by the Florida Supreme Court in April. This followed a lawsuit and bar complaint filed by his father, Paul Labiner. The father-son legal conflict escalated when Paul accused Brandon of submitting a fake document to dismiss the lawsuit, impersonating plaintiffs in the process.
The fatal incident on July 1, 2023, was recorded on surveillance footage showing Brandon Labiner arriving at the law office parking garage on a bicycle, retrieving a box from a bag, and drawing what seemed to be a firearm. He then shot his father multiple times, with the elder Labiner found lifeless outside his office.
At the time of his arrest, Brandon Labiner was dealing with personal issues, including the loss of an unborn child and a divorce. The arrest affidavit highlighted these factors, alongside the strained father-son relationship and legal disputes, as potential motives for the crime.
Brandon Labiner faced life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty if convicted of the murder. Additionally, he was charged with tampering and fabricating physical evidence, a third-degree felony, carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Valentin Rodriguez, Labiner’s public defender, expressed sorrow over his client’s death, commenting on the series of misfortunes that struck the Labiner family.
