Man claims Stand Your Ground after setting victim on fire

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Sigfredo Espinel's attorney Charles Lambert made an announcement in court no one expected:

"I'm preparing to file a Stand Your Ground motion in this case which I should have filed by next week."

Espinel is accused of killing a man by setting him on fire. Now he claims he was in fear for his life when he did it and plans to use Florida's Stand Your Ground defense to beat murder charges.

Months before the murder, Espinel was posing for videos holding high-powered guns and posting the videos on social media.

One video shows Espinel and his friends flashing wads of cash, which hurt his bond chances after being seen by prosecutor Scott Harmon.

Harmon argued any money used for bond could be linked to criminal activity.

"It’s been brought to my attention by the sheriff's office after that occurred there are social media and photographs depicting the defendant along with the victim and other young men with large amounts of cash," explained Harmon.

Espinel has been in jail since March of 2017 when the gruesome crime came to light. A man walking his dog behind a vacant home in Tampa found Jose Zarragoitia’s body, still burning. 

Espinel was arrested about a week later and now he plans to use the Stand Your Ground law to win immunity. 

A Stand Your Ground hearing has been scheduled for September.