An influencer who killed his millionaire philanthropist uncle by ramming him into a palm tree with his Jeep has been jailed for 10 years after pleading guilty to manslaughter.
Jordan Aronson, 24, had been staying with Scott Grebler — one of the founders of the nonprofit 13 Ugly Men — at his $3 million mansion in Tampa, Florida, when the incident occurred in June 2023. Aronson, who was a college sophomore at the time, was caught on camera driving the car into Grebler, who was taken to hospital and underwent treatment for injuries to his skull and brain. He was placed on a ventilator but was pronounced dead several days later.
Video evidence
Assistant State Attorney Melissa Grajales said at last month’s plea hearing that Aronson was ‘caught on surveillance footage backing out of the driveway and speeding forward, ramming [Grebler]’s body into the palm tree’, Tampa Bay Times reports.
Aronson, who posts workout advice and tips for baseball pitchers on social media, with 52,000 TikTok followers and 23,000 on Instagram, initially pleaded not guilty to second-degree homicide. He told authorities that his uncle was suffering from Parkinson’s disease, was often delusional, and had accused him of stealing money and other possessions. His lawyer claimed Aronson ‘managed to keep his cool until he snapped.’
Claims and counterclaims
On the morning of the crash, Aronson’s lawyer claimed the 59-year-old had become violent and begun throwing rocks at the Jeep, and was caught on camera throwing a ceramic mug onto the driveway and placing the pieces underneath the vehicle’s tyres. It’s reported that he took Aronson’s bag out of the car and followed him in ‘an attempt to engage in a physical altercation’ but when Aronson got in the Jeep and backed out of the drive he was seen on camera running towards the car and throwing a three-ring binder at it.
After the crash occurred, the Jeep remained at the scene before it reversed down the road, with Aronson later calling police and telling them ‘my uncle tried to f****** attack me when I was getting out my car and I hit him with my car’. However, it later transpired that some of his claims were refuted by the video evidence.
Plea and sentencing
After charges of second-degree murder were filed against him by prosecutors, the case took years to come to court, until they agreed to a plea bargain. It took into account Aronson’s lack of a previous criminal record, Grebler’s medical issues, and the fact that Aronson called the police so soon after the crash to report it. He pleaded guilty last month to manslaughter with a weapon in connection with Grebler’s death, Court TV reports.
Erin Maloney, a spokesperson for the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office in Florida, also stated that the family did not want Aronson to face criminal charges. ‘While the wishes of a victim’s family are important to us, it is also our responsibility to make charging decisions based on the law and the evidence,’ she said. ‘The defendant should still be held accountable for his actions.’
As well as 10 years behind bars, Aronson will also spend five years on probation, and must complete 50 hours of community service and an anger management course.
Community reaction
Friends of Grebler have described the case as ‘horrible’ and ‘tragic’. Criminal defence attorney Anthony Rickman — who served on the board for 13 Ugly Men – called him ‘a brother to everyone in the group’ and added that ‘his memory will always live on and his footprint in the community will last forever’.
The nonprofit, formed by Grebler with other local business owners, was set up in the 1990s to ‘party with a purpose’ — hosting community events to raise money for children’s charities and other causes. It was recognised by the Tampa City Council for its outstanding contribution to the community in February 2023, just months before Grebler’s death.
