Tonight, just before 8 p.m., Ryan Guy Toranzo and Rebecca Zeldi Gabay, codefendants, were found guilty as charged following a joint trial, for crimes involving the 2023 shooting of two people in Collier County. The victims were shot while driving home, by a person in a passing vehicle who opened fire. Toranzo was convicted of two counts of Attempted First Degree Murder with a Firearm and one count of Shoot at or within a Vehicle. Gabay was convicted of two counts of Accessory After the Fact. The conviction comes following a seven-day trial in Collier County.
Assistant State Attorney Jennifer Brown and Deputy Chief Assistant State Attorney John Dommerich Jr., prosecuted the case.
On June 1, 2023, the victims, a man and woman in a relationship, were driving along Immokalee Road, following a night out, when shots rang out and the truck they were riding in was riddled with bullets. The female victim who was driving, was shot in the head, causing her to crash and flip the truck. Her boyfriend was also shot in the head. Both survived the shooting but required extensive medical treatment and suffered life altering injuries.
There had been an ongoing child custody dispute between the male victim and his ex-wife, defendant Rebecca Gabay. The victim was scheduled to start receiving more time with his children in just days and then the shooting occurred.
Evidence introduced at trial showed Toranzo, who was dating and living with co-defendant Gabay, was the shooter and Gabay arranged the shooting to happen. A van from the audio business she owned was tied to the crime. The van belonged to a customer who had dropped it off to have audio equipment installed. Gabay also sent threatening messages to the victim prior to the shooting. The defendants fled to New Jersey with her children, immediately following the crime. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, located the defendants, and arrested them in New Jersey in connection with the attempted murder.
A third co-defendant, Julian Wolf, also charged in the case, testified at trial against his co-defendants as part of a plea agreement. He testified that he was in the van along with Toranzo. He said they were at Gabay’s home and then Toranzo drove to a casino in Immokalee. They then switched places and Wolf was the driver. He testified that a short while later the victims came out to their truck and drove off, Wolf followed, pulled up on them, and Toranzo started shooting.
“This was a brazen act of violence that left two innocent people seriously wounded on Immokalee Road, one of our community’s primary arteries. The jury saw the full weight of the evidence and delivered a verdict that holds the offenders accountable. This case is also a powerful example of how advanced forensic technology, combined with relentless investigative work, can bring clarity and justice even in the most complex crimes. I want to commend our detectives, forensic specialists, State Attorney Amira Fox and her team, and the jurors who took their responsibility seriously. Justice was served,” said Sheriff Kevin Rambosk.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 29, 2026.
Samantha Syoen – State Attorney’s Office Communications Director