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TEEN ARRESTED FOR MANSLAUGHTER
Detectives arrested a 17 year old for the shooting death of Jeremy Hester that occurred on June 24, 2010.
On today’s date, June 24, 2010, at approximately 12:50 AM, Officers responded to a 911 report of a shooting at Sutton Place Apartments, 533 NE 23rd Circle, Apartment #2, Ocala, FL. The caller indicated that the victim had possibly shot himself accidentally. The first officer on scene was Cpl. Drue Hunley, who made contact with b/m juvenile Alphonsa Lee Washington, III, DOB 12/08/92, who told him that he believed his friend, b/m Jeremy Hester, DOB 06/23/92, had accidentally shot himself. Cpl. Hunley and Cpl. Chris Scaglione went into the apartment and found Jeremy Hester on the couch with a gunshot wound to the head and a black semi-automatic handgun on the floor between his feet. Detectives were called to the scene, along with the Medical Examiner’s Office. A statement was taken from Washington in reference to the events leading up to the shooting. Washington advised, at that time, that Hester had been a bit upset at not getting anything for his birthday and he had been trying to cheer him up. Washington said that he and Hester were smoking marijuana and admiring the handgun that Hester had brought over to the apartment, which he believed to be unloaded. Washington advised that while he was in the bathroom he heard a gunshot, and when he went back to the living room he found Hester with a gunshot wound to the head. Washington advised to immediately running out to borrow someone’s cell phone to call 911. The medical examiner took possession of Hester’s body and an autopsy was completed on this date. The detectives continued to investigate the scene of the incident and speak with persons in the area. As a result of this investigation and information from the autopsy, the possibility of a self-inflicted gun shot wound was ruled out. Information was found that indicated that Washington had shot Hester accidentally while they were playing with the gun. At approximately 4:25 PM, Washington was located and brought in to the Ocala Police Department to speak with Detectives. During the course of the interview Washington did advise to playing with the gun and to accidentally shooting Hester. Alphonsa L. Washington was placed under arrest by Detective Mark Hoover and charged with one count of Manslaughter. He was transported to the Juvenile Assessment Center.
Posted on Jun 24, 2010 17:59pm by ascroble (Return to Articles)

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