ORLANDO, Fla. – Six years after Nael Abraham shot and killed 45-year-old Eric Schnetzer, Abraham learned his fate inside an Orange County courtroom.
Last year, a jury found Abraham, 30, guilty of first-degree murder for the July 2020 shooting. On Friday, after previously delaying her decision to further review evidence, Judge Barbara Leach sentenced him to 50 years in prison.
“As it relates to count one, second-degree murder with a firearm, the court will sentence Mr. Abraham to 50 years in prison with credit for time served,” Leach said.
Leach also granted the defense’s motion to dismiss the second count Abraham was found guilty of: third-degree murder, felony murder with a firearm.
Evidence presented at trial showed the road rage encounter between Abraham and Schnetzer began on the Florida Turnpike. Abraham then followed Schnetzer to Orange Blossom Trail, pulled up next to him at an intersection, shot him in the head and drove away. Schnetzer, a nurse and father of three, died from his injuries.
Abraham’s car was identified through surveillance video and he was arrested at a smoke shop he owns in Cocoa.
Abraham’s attorney, Gregory Eisenmenger, told News 6 he and Abraham’s family had hoped for the minimum sentence of 25 years.
“I was disappointed because I didn’t feel like there was any aggravating circumstances in this case and the mandatory minimum was more than adequate,” Eisenmenger said.
Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell said the outcome reflects her office’s commitment to holding road rage offenders accountable.
“We will continue to monitor and aggressively ensure accountability for road rage cases, particularly when the result is a community member being killed,” Worrell said.
Schnetzer’s widow, Kari McPherson, said she feels justice was served. She urged drivers to think twice before escalating a road rage situation, saying the consequences are not worth what can be lost.
“I’ll always cherish those memories and like I’ve been saying since day one, you just never know till it happens to you. But yeah, it’s a relief today,” McPherson said. “Just go on. It’s not worth it. It’s not worth your life. It’s not worth it.”