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Police: Suspect confesses to killing Allen Johnson, 2 others

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LYNN HAVEN — The accused murderer of three people across the Panhandle was motivated by his quest for drugs and has confessed to all three shootings, authorities reported Tuesday.

Derrick Ray Thompson, 41, was arrested at a hunting lodge in Troy, Ala., where law enforcement tracked him. SWAT teams stunned him with flash-bang grenades and captured him early Tuesday.

He was wanted in the slaying of former Bay County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) investigator and controversial nightclub owner Allen Johnson, 67, after an early morning robbery and shooting Monday at Johnson’s home near Lynn Haven. Johnson and Thompson were friends, authorities said.

Thompson also was a person of interest in the Santa Rosa County deaths of 60-year-old Steven Zackowski and 59-year-old Debra Zackowski, both of Milton.

Authorities mobilized a nationwide manhunt Monday that ended in an outright confession to all three slayings, authorities said.

Thompson has been charged with an open count of murder in Bay County, according to law enforcement. BCSO was not releasing details from the crime scene or the nature of Johnson’s wounds but officials said Thompson’s story corroborated physical evidence from the home.

Thompson’s motive in the slayings was clear to Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen: “Drugs,” he said.

“He went to borrow money from Allen,” McKeithen said. “… We think the same situation transpired in Santa Rosa.”

Before fleeing the state to hide out in a Troy hunting lodge where he once had installed electrical fixtures, Thompson used money and a cellphone he allegedly stole from Johnson to buy numerous prescription narcotics from someone in Panama City, according to investigators.

A truck connected to the Santa Rosa slayings had been left in Johnson’s driveway and Johnson’s truck, a silver Toyota Tundra, was missing.

Late Monday a citizen in Troy notified law enforcement after spotting Thompson driving a Tundra into the private, gated hunting lodge. Officers covertly locked the gate and waited for Thompson to show himself, according to BCSO.

“They waited until daylight because he was armed and dangerous,” McKeithen said.

Officers spotted the vehicle driving up to the gate to leave just before daybreak. When Thompson got out to unlock the gate, they ambushed him with flash-bang grenades and took him into custody without incident.

Thompson had several firearms, including a semi-automatic rifle and handguns, in the vehicle with him, authorities reported.

Law enforcement from Bay and Santa Rosa counties traveled to Troy on Tuesday and spoke with Thompson. During their interview, Thompson told investigators he killed the Zackowskis as well as Johnson, giving law enforcement details about the murders not yet made public, according to BCSO.

Thompson was wanted on a warrant for grand theft of several items and a vehicle from the Zackowskis’ residence. Deputies were called to the Zackowskis’ home Saturday, after Steven Zackowski accused Thompson of stealing items, which included house keys, according to a Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office offense report.

Thompson previously had been hired to do some electrical work at the Zackowskis’ home, local authorities reported.

Fleeing Santa Rosa

The shooting of the Zakowskis sent Thompson on a frantic dash for shelter and resources, investigators said.

Thompson fled Santa Rosa County and stayed that night with a friend on Panama City Beach, according to authorities. On Sunday morning, Thompson went to Chipley and stayed overnight in a motel. From his web browser history, authorities gathered, Thompson found out law enforcement had connected him to the double homicide.

On Monday, Thompson used a borrowed phone from the motel clerk and called Johnson to ask if he could come to his home on Wilson Avenue to borrow money.

“They were actually friends,” McKeithen said. Johnson “had no idea he was wanted for the murders and invited him to his home.”

Thompson arrived at Johnson’s home, located on Wilson Avenue behind the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, about 9 a.m. Monday. After concerned relatives of Johnson couldn’t reach him by phone, they busted down his door at about 1:45 p.m. phone to find him on the floor of his home shot to death.

Deputies said they found a check for $500, signed over to Thompson from Johnson and dated July 21, at the scene of the fatal shooting.

Johnson was a deputy with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office from 1974 to 1988, working as a confidential informant prior to becoming a law enforcement officer. Johnson was the first to work undercover in drug enforcement for BCSO and was recognized across the state as one of the best narcotics officers, according to BCSO spokeswoman Ruth Corley.

McKeithen worked alongside Johnson before he left law enforcement in 1988 to open controversial adult entertainment establishments Show ‘n’ Tail and Toy Box.

“The most intriguing thing he said after he left was that he was left in ‘no man’s land,’ “ McKeithen said. “All the drug dealers out there still thought he was law enforcement and all the officers thought he was a criminal.”

Thompson was extradited to Bay County to face charges and arrived at the Bay County Jail late Tuesday afternoon.

After Thompson’s first appearances in court today, the State Attorney’s Office for the 1st and 14th judicial circuits will work together to determine which homicide case will be tried first.

Read the Troy Messenger's coverage here.

An earlier version of this story is posted below:

 

TROY, Ala. — The man wanted in connection with three homicides has been captured without incident in Alabama and confessed to all three crimes, authorities reported Tuesday.

Derrick Ray Thompson, 41, was captured without incident in Troy, Ala., early Tuesday, according to the Bay County Sheriff's Office. He was wanted on a warrant for the slaying of nightclub owner Allen Johnson and a person of interest in the Milton deaths of 60-year-old Steven Zackowski and 59-year-old Debra Zackowski.

Deputies were en route early Tuesday to serve Thompson with a homicide warrant and begin the process for extraditing him to Florida, said Bay County State Attorney's Office spokesman David Angier.

Authorities issued a nationwide alert for Thompson and Johnson's truck after Johnson was found shot to death Monday in his home behind the Bay County Sheriff's Office. Santa Rosa County authorities say the bodies of Zackowskis were discovered fatally shot Sunday in their home.

Thompson was driving Johnson's truck, and he had several handguns and a rifle in the vehicle with him, Troy Police Department Lt. Brian Weed told the Pensacola News Journal. He was captured at a property owned by an acquaintance, Weed said.

Thompson also was wanted on a warrant for grand theft related to the theft of several items and a vehicle from the Zackowskis' residence. Although he had not been charged yet in the Zackowskis' slayings early Thompson, he later confessed to killing the Zackowskis as well as Johnson, according to Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office spokesman Capt. Bob Johnson. Santa Rosa authorities were preparing charges for Thompson midday Tuesday.

Deputies were called to the Zackowskis' home Saturday, after Steven Zackowski accused Thompson of stealing several items including house keys, according to a Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office offense report.

Thompson had been hired to do some electrical work at the Zackowskis' home, according to authorities.

Johnson and Thompson were acquaintances, Bay County authorities said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story

Check back throughout the day for updates to this story.


Murder suspect denied public defender and bond

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PANAMA CITY — The man who confessed that a desire for drugs motivated three murders across the Panhandle has been denied bond and a public defender.

Derrick Ray Thompson, 41, will be held without bond after his arrest in connection to three slayings, and Judge Joe Grammer denied his request for a public defender Wednesday on the grounds Thompson made more than $60,000 last year. Grammer asked if figures for Thompson’s income were accurate.

“Not any more,” Thompson said.

“Definitely not after yesterday,” Grammer replied.

Former Bay County Sheriff’s Office investigator and local nightclub owner Allen Johnson, 67, became the most recent victim in a series of three shooting deaths authorities believe was fueled by a quest for prescription narcotics. Thompson allegedly came to Johnson’s Lynn Haven home to borrow money after the shooting of a Santa Rosa couple days earlier.

Investigators found Johnson’s body Monday afternoon with a single gunshot wound to the back of the head, according to arrest records. A spent .380 caliber casing lay on the ground beside Johnson’s body.

In a Ford F-150 truck left in Johnson’s driveway and believed to be connected to the Santa Rosa County slayings, investigators found an empty .380 caliber handgun case and a box of .380 caliber ammo in plain view.

Johnson’s Toyota Tundra was missing from the driveway. Investigators also found a large sum of money had been taken from Johnson’s home. Moments after the shooting, Thompson pulled up in the Tundra to a drug dealer on Cone Avenue and purchased numerous prescription narcotics, authorities said.

Thompson was on the road after the Milton shooting deaths of 60-year-old Steven Zackowski and 59-year-old Debra Zackowski.

Investigators wanted to question Thompson for stealing several items and a vehicle from the Zackowskis’ residence, but authorities in Santa Rosa County had not issued a warrant for his arrest tied to their murders. Deputies were called to the Zackowskis’ home Saturday, after Steven Zackowski accused Thompson of stealing items, which included house keys, authorities said.

They discovered the Zackowskis had been shot and killed about 10:30 a.m. before Thompson fled to Panama City Beach for the night. Thompson had previously been hired to do some electrical work at the Zackowskis’ home, investigators found.

Late Monday night, the Tundra driven by Thompson was spotted going into a private, gated hunting lodge in Troy, Ala., and notified law enforcement. Officers covertly locked the gate and waited for Thompson to show himself.

Officers spotted the vehicle driving up to the gate to leave just before daybreak. When Thompson got out to unlock the gate, they ambushed him with flash-bang grenades and took him into custody without incident.

During their interview, Thompson told investigators he killed the Zackowskis as well as Johnson, giving law enforcement details about the murders not yet made public.

Thompson was charged with an open count of murder in Bay County Tuesday. His next court date is scheduled for Aug. 19. Santa Rosa authorities have not yet charged Thompson in the Zackowskis’ deaths. Authorities expect to have an order for which trial will proceed first within 30 days.  

Accused killer captured after escape

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BONIFAY — An accused killer and another convict could not evade the long arm of Holmes County law enforcement and are back in jail after a brief escape.

Jeffery Morrill and David Challender escaped from the Holmes County Jail around 12:40 a.m. Wednesday. Both had been recaptured in time for lunch Wednesday.

Morrill, 32, of Bonifay, was recently convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was recaptured around 3:30 a.m.

Challender, 28, of Vernon, is awaiting trial in Bay County on a murder charge that could result in a death sentence. He was considered dangerous and remained at large until around 9 a.m. Holmes County has been housing him while he awaits trial.

Challender is the last of three suspects to face trial in the grisly slaying of 91-year-old Wallace Scott in his Lynn Haven home.

He and co-defendants Kevin Jeffries and Ashley Griffin were charged with murder for Scott’s death after they were arrested at the end of an intense manhunt that involved more than 20 law enforcement agencies in at least three states.

The efforts to recapture Challender were similarly intense and involved helicopters from two agencies, K-9 units from three area prisons and deputies from at least four nearby counties, plus the U.S. Marshal’s Service.

A jury recommended the death penalty for Jeffries after he was convicted of first-degree murder earlier this month; he is scheduled for a sentencing hearing next month. Griffin entered a plea agreement that calls for her to serve 20 years.

Challender and Morrill will face additional charges after their flight.

Man surrenders after three-hour standoff

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PANAMA CITY — A tense three-hour standoff between police and a Panama City man wielding a sword barricaded in a bedroom with his 4-year-old son came to a peaceful end Monday.

Panama City police officers arrived at the home of Kevin Richard Hicks, 38, at 1407 Wilmont Ave. Monday at about 10:30 p.m. for a domestic battery complaint. Hicks’ girlfriend reported that, after a dispute in which alcohol played a factor, he became violent. Hicks pushed her down in the bathroom, causing her to strike the toilet with her face before strangling her while hitting the back of her head on the bathroom floor, she told officers.

After Hicks took the girlfriend’s phone and went to the kitchen, she fled to a neighbor’s to call police. Hicks barricaded the front and side door of the home before retreating to a bedroom, with the 4-year-old son, where he barricaded himself.

Officers made contact with Hicks through the closed door and began hostage negotiations for him to give up and come out. Hicks told officers that he had a sword and was not coming out without a fight. Hicks said several times to aim high and just shoot him through the door, police reported.

During more than three hours of negotiations that followed, Hicks’ ramblings became incoherent and ranged from “an honorable death is a good death,” to “go shoot down another airliner in Malaysia,” according to police reports.

Negotiators and detectives were able to defuse the situation and Hicks peacefully exited the bedroom. The child was found in the room unharmed. Investigators located the sword in the closet of the bedroom.

Hicks was taken to the Bay County Jail and charged with felony battery by strangulation, domestic battery, child abuse (mental), and three counts of resisting an officer without violence. 

Investigators searching for man who received death threats

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PANAMA CITY -- The Bay County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a 24-year-old man who family members said had been receiving death threats over the past few weeks.

Tavish Greene, described as a 24-year-old black male with short black hair, brown eyes and multiple tattoos, was reported missing Tuesday by a concerned family member. Greene was last seen at 2:30 a.m. Sunday at Big Daddy’s at 12th and Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Greene has several identifying tattoos. The word “Kevin” in visible on one forearm, the name “Wade” is on the other forearm. He also has writing across his knuckles. Greene is believed driving a 2004 white Chevy Malibu, four-door, Florida tag BJF-Y11.

Greene has received death threats and BCSO is concerned for his welfare.

Anyone with any information on the whereabouts of Greene is asked to contact BCSO at 747-4700 or Crime Stoppers at 785-TIPS. 

Naked thieves take burgers from southwest Florida eatery

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BONITA SPRINGS — A southwest Florida waitress has dubbed the trio of naked hamburger thieves who broke into a southwest Florida eatery "dumb, dumber and dumbest."

In fact, waitress Nancy Sansevieri is still laughing after police released surveillance video Wednesday showing the college-aged men — two naked and one clad in underwear — stealing 60 hamburgers from Doc's Beach House in Bonita Beach.

Police say the men broke in early Sunday and left a trail of red peppers on the beach.

Doc's general manager Lou Bangert told the News-Press of Fort Myers that he's never witnessed such a crime in the restaurant's 27-year history. Thieves have broken in and taken money from the cash register, but he says no one has ever slammed through a door completely naked looking for beef.

Anti-violence rally to be rescheduled

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PANAMA CITY -- An event scheduled for Saturday at Tommy Oliver Stadium sponsored by Concerned Citizens of Bay County to “Stop the Violence” has been postponed, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.

The event will be rescheduled and the new time and date with be released as soon as possible. 

UPDATE: Witness to homicide found dead in Panama City // photo gallery, video

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PANAMA CITY — A witness to a homicide who had been receiving death threats after a fatal shooting in June was himself found dead in the trunk of a car Thursday, authorities said.

Police found the body of Tavish Greene, 24, in the trunk of a white 2004 Chevy Malibu behind an abandoned home at 526 E. Eighth Court in Panama City. The Panama City Police Department was alerted to the vehicle Thursday at about 11 a.m. after the Bay County Sheriff’s Office issued a missing persons report Wednesday evening.

Police have not released the cause of Greene’s death or the nature of his wounds to the public, pending an autopsy, but they are working the case as an “active death investigation,” according to Officer Richard Thore, PCPD spokesman.

“It doesn’t appear he died from natural causes,” Thore said, noting the body showed signs of severe decomposition. “He had been there for several days, but a definite timeline has not been established at this time.”

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO

Tangela Peterson, Greene’s mother, said he had been missing since Sunday. Greene was last seen alive at 2:30 a.m. that morning at Big Daddy’s near the corner of 12th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Greene was seen in the driver’s seat of the Malibu as the club closed, according to witnesses.

Peterson said her son had been receiving death threats over the past few days for what he’d seen June 9. Police were called at about 3:20 a.m. to KJ’s Nightclub, 908 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Once there, officers found 19-year-old Jshun Smith, of Atlanta, near the intersection of 10th Street and MLK Jr. Boulevard with a gunshot wound to the head. Smith was then taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Officers reportedly learned Khiry Ross, 24, and Marcus Mathis, 25, both Panama City residents, had been in a confrontation inside the club with Smith, and the argument spilled outside to the parking lot, where gunfire broke out, according to police reports.

According to his arrest record, Ross fired shots into the air near Smith, and Smith returned gunfire before attempting to enter a vehicle. Ross took cover behind another vehicle and continued firing, authorities reported, but Smith was struck in the head at some point in the melee.

Smith, a passenger in one vehicle, tumbled out onto the roadway as the vehicle sped away, police reported. Ross and Mathis then fled the area in another vehicle driven by Mathis, according to police reports.

Ross and Mathis were later arrested in connection to the shooting, and both men are in jail. Ross is charged with an open count of murder, felon in possession of a firearm and felon in possession of ammunition. Mathis is charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

Peterson said Greene’s testimony was particularly unique for the prosecution’s case and she became concerned when days lapsed without contact from her son.

Greene was out on bond for several felony drug charges. He bonded out about a week before the shooting near KJ’s, and it was unlike him to go without checking in with either his cousin, his pregnant former girlfriend or Peterson, she said.

Peterson, a Panama City resident of Franklin Avenue, said she became frustrated with the Panama City Police Department after attempting to file a missing persons report with the agency Tuesday and Wednesday, she said. She instead turned to BCSO, which took her report. However, she admitted she was unwilling to share the license plate number of the Malibu with PCPD.

Thore said he was unaware of an attempt to file a missing persons report with PCPD.

Residents of the tightly concentrated neighborhood noticed the car behind the abandoned home Thursday morning after BCSO issued a missing person’s report Wednesday. Before then, neighbors had not given the white Malibu a second thought. Many said they reached the conclusion that whoever parked the car there — visible from several side streets — knew the area well enough to figure an abandoned car would go unnoticed for days, despite the densely populated neighborhood.

Police had not identified suspects and were not discussing details of their investigation Thursday evening.

“As far as how the car got there, it’s still too early in the investigation to tell,” Thore said.

Earlier versions of this story appear below:

 PANAMA CITY — Authorities confirmed the body found Thursday in Panama City was a man reported missing Tuesday.

The body, which was found behind 526 E. Eighth Court, was 24-year-old Tavish Greene, who had been receiving death threats.

Check back soon for more details


Bankers' motion for new trial denied

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PANAMA CITY — A judge has denied a request for a new trial of three bankers who defrauded the federal government of millions in taxpayer dollars.

The trio filed the motions mere weeks before being sentenced, according to court documents.

Terry Dubose, Elwood West and Frank Baker were found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud against the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of lying to the FDIC and aiding and abetting a false claim against the United States. Dubose and West were executives with Coastal, and Baker was the company’s attorney and largest shareholder.

Each of the men filed a motion asking for a retrial, which Judge Richard Smoak denied Tuesday.

Sentencing for the three is scheduled for Aug. 21. 

Man sentenced to life for raping girl

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PANAMA CITY — A Southport man has been convicted and sentenced to life in prison for repeatedly raping an 8-year-old girl, authorities announced Friday.

Daniell Lenny Mills, 35, was found guilty Friday. The crimes happened between Aug. 23 and Sept. 16.

Jurors deliberated for 30 minutes before finding Mills guilty as charged of two counts of sexual battery on a person younger than 12 and two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation.

The sexual battery charges carry a mandatory life sentence and Circuit Judge Michael Overstreet handed down that penalty immediately after the conviction.

State may file DUI manslaughter charge

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PANAMA CITY BEACH — Prosecutors will be steering toward DUI manslaughter charges after receiving blood work for a driver who allegedly ran up a sidewalk and over a Louisiana teenager, according to court documents.

Police initially charged Lee Creary, 50, with possession of a controlled substance May 22 after a midnight crash on South Thomas Drive in which a teenage pedestrian died. A single .5 mg Xanax was found in the center console cupholder of her SUV. Additional charges were pending as samples of Creary’s blood were sent out for lab tests. Prosecutors now expect to file DUI manslaughter charges after receiving results from that night that came back 0.18 percent alcohol concentration.

Mark Garrard Robertson, 17, was returning to his room at the Boardwalk Beach Resort, 9450 South Thomas Drive,at about midnight when a vehicle drove up on the sidewalk and struck him, police said. The vehicle was identified as a 1991 Chevrolet Suburban driven by Creary, according to Panama City Beach Police reports.

The Chevrolet Suburban was traveling on South Thomas Drive toward the intersection at Alvin’s Island Department Store before it veered onto the sidewalk on the south shoulder of the road, crashed into a light pole and then struck a pedestrian.

Robertson, an Opelousas, La., resident, was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1:46 a.m.

Creary was taken to Bay Medical and upon her release was arrested for possessing a controlled substance and taken to the Bay County Jail. If found guilty, Creary would face a minimum sentence of four years in prison for the DUI manslaughter charge alone.  

Greene driving car when passenger killed

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PANAMA CITY — A Panama City man found dead in a car trunk would have given jurors the account of a driver fleeing a shootout in a pending murder case, authorities said Friday.

Tavish Greene, 24, was one of several witnesses to a nightclub argument in June that ended in the shooting death of 19-year-old Jshun Smith. Police discovered Greene’s body Thursday in the trunk of a white 2004 Chevy Malibu behind an abandoned home at 526 E. Eighth Court.

As community groups coalesce to promote peace in the wake of months dominated by gun-related violence, police and prosecutors are sending a warning about witness tampering.

“When you tamper with a witness of a life felony, it becomes a life felony,” said state prosecutor Bob Sombathy. “To our office, we can’t stress how seriously we take anyone messing with our witnesses, because that is an attempt, through intimidation, to derail the entire system of justice.”

Police have not released the cause of Greene’s death but said he had been in the trunk for several days. As of Friday, investigators were working the case as an “active death investigation,” police said.

Greene had been missing since Sunday when he was last seen alive at 2:30 a.m. at Big Daddy’s near the corner of 12th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Two blocks away, on June 9, he witnessed the passenger in his car get shot in the head.

“Other people saw the shooting, but he had the unique perspective of being in the vehicle and close to the victim when he was shot,” Sombathy said.

Police were called to KJ’s Nightclub, 908 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., at about 3:20 a.m. to find Smith, of Atlanta, with a gunshot wound to the head near the intersection of 10th Street and MLK Jr. Boulevard. Witnesses saw Khiry Ross, 24, and Marcus Mathis, 25, both of Panama City, in a confrontation inside the club with Smith. The argument continued to the parking lot, where gunfire broke out, police reported.

Smith, a passenger in the vehicle driven by Greene, was struck in the head and tumbled out onto the roadway as the vehicle sped away, police reported. Ross and Mathis then fled the area in another vehicle driven by Mathis, according to police reports.

Ross and Mathis were later arrested in connection to the shooting, and both men are in jail. Ross is charged with an open count of murder, felon in possession of a firearm and felon in possession of ammunition. Mathis is charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

Greene was not charged with committing any crimes in the shooting, and no evidence has turned up that Greene had a gun or fired shots, Sombathy said.

The discovery of Greene’s body derailed plans for a community rally Saturday evening, which has formed in response to the outbreak of gun violence.

“Law enforcement advised us that there was a high threat level in the community,” said Janet Lucas, organizer.

PCPD, BCSO and Bay District School officials met with community leaders of “Stop the Violence” rallies to discuss partnerships to meet a common, peaceful goal. In spite of the surge in shootings, the Stop the Violence group’s resolve has only been strengthened, Lucas said.

“Each time, the response from the community has been greater,” she said. “The community as a whole is coming together be part of this effort, because it crosses all boundaries of our communities. Nobody can do it by themselves.”

A march will proceed Saturday, beginning at the Glenwood Community Center, 722 E. Ninth Court, with an assembly and prayer at 7 a.m. The groups will march toward Tommy Oliver Stadium starting at 8 a.m. 

Residents, law officers march to stop gun violence // photo gallery

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PANAMA CITY — Eleven killings during the past eight weeks propelled a group of almost 50 people forward in a march to take a stand against the surge of gun violence around Panama City.

Residents along the route from Glenwood Community Center to the A. D. Harris Learning Village trickled out of their homes Saturday morning to watch the mixture of concerned residents and law officers chant anti-violence messages and sing hymns of hope as they passed.

“We can’t afford to be complacent anymore,” said Janice Lucas, a spokeswoman for the event.

PHOTO GALLERY

The march assembled a large core of stakeholders. An afternoon rally also had been scheduled, but was canceled because of concerns about security and the addition of more resources for a future event.

Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen spoke at the end of the march from the law enforcement side of the recent violence.

“If we’re not afraid to walk down this road, we should be brave enough to call and say someone is trying to sell dope to my child,” McKeithen said.

He repeated the importance of using public demonstrations as a springboard to following through with community efforts to curb violence, given that such events sometimes stir the pot.

McKeithen later described the collective struggle to identify personal and community circumstances that contributed to the recent shootings. He said stress had been mounting for residents and law officers as they look to one another for quick answers.

“It’s not going to get solved overnight” he said.

No one spoke more passionately than 29-year-old Jeremy Ponds. Born and raised in St. Andrews, Ponds serves on the executive committee of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Ponds returned to his hometown in light of the shootings to help comfort the families of the victims he knew growing up and spread the message that retaliation is not the answer.

“We were once upon a time a close-knit community. I never imagined growing up here we’d have these problems,” he said in an interview.

In his speech, he urged demonstrators to shift the mindset by using positive language and loving words to communicate about solutions.

“A majority of everyone here raised me,” he said as he motioned to the crowd.

Ponds said things have changed from the “old school” values, when parents and neighbors were not afraid to get into the business of children playing in the streets.

“I thank God that I was able to stay out of that type of trouble,” he said. “We need more mentorship and reaching out to these young people.”

John Haley, executive director of operational support services for the Bay District Schools, echoed Ponds’ point that young people lacking financial resources need other outlets for income besides selling drugs and other illegal activities.

Another prevailing theme was the need for more education on conflict resolution and anger management in public schools.

“We want to make sure we know from a school perspective what we need to do to keep our children safe,” Haley said.

Haley said brainstorming sessions already have taken place on how to build conflict resolution into the curriculum. One idea for consideration is to give violent offenders the option of conflict education before facing a blemished record and consequences from the administration.

Most of those involved in recent killings had been young adults in their 20s. Because most of them had not been out of high school more than a few years, Haley said the victims and their families still had ties to the school district. He hopes to see a new trend of constructive problem solving come out of all the attention the violence has received.  

“This is a movement that’s got to be for the long-haul,” Ponds said.

Lucas said the march was a part of a “fast-growing organic response.”

“We wanted to give the people that are hurting a chance to come out and demonstrate a demand for peace,” she said.

“We need to have something for our youth to put their attention toward,” added Toni McGee of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church.

With so many alarmed by the recent violence, McGee is helping form an informal network of residents called the Concerned Citizens of Bay County.

“It’s important to let the families of those who have been killed to know that we do care about them,” McGee said. “We’re here to give the citizens a voice.”  

Man arrested for shooting at relatives of Tavish Greene

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PANAMA CITY— A man has been charged with firing shots at relatives of another man who was found dead last week before he was expected to testify concerning one of the recent killings in the area.

Andre Daniel Guilford Hamilton, 36, of Oakland, Calif., was arrested Saturday after he allegedly fired at two relatives of Tavish Greene outside Andrews Place Apartments at 1914 Frankford Ave., according to the Panama City Police Department.

No one was hurt in the shooting, which occurred about 2:30 a.m., police reported.

Hamilton fled in a vehicle, which Springfield police spotted later.

Hamilton was captured and charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of felon in possession of a firearm, according to Panama City police.

He was in the Bay County Jail later Saturday.

Police said it was not known whether the latest incident was connected to any of the recent shootings.

Police discovered Greene’s body Thursday in the trunk of a white 2004 Chevy Malibu behind an abandoned house at 526 E. Eighth Court.

Greene, 24,was expected to testify against two suspects in connection with the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Jshun Smith on June 9 outside KJ’s Nightclub at 908 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Khiry Ross, 24, has been charged with an open count of murder, felon in possession of a firearm and felon in possession of ammunition.

Marcus Mathis, 25, has been charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

Police are asking anyone with information about Saturday’s incident to contact Police Sgt. Jon Morris at 850-872-3100 or to report tips anonymously to CrimeStoppers at 850-785-TIPS.  

 

An earlier version of the story:

PANAMA CITY — Police are investigating an incident of shots fired at a residence in St. Andrews on Friday night, Bay County Sheriff  Frank McKeithen confirmed Saturday.

McKeithen said the shooting incident may be connected to the discovery of a body found in the area the day before.

Panama City Police have not released any information about the incident. A spokesman for Panama City police had not returned a call for comment as of midday Saturday.

Police discovered the body of Tavish Greene on Thursday in the trunk of a white 2004 Chevy Malibu behind an abandoned home at 526 E. Eighth Court.

Greene, 24,was set to give jurors the account of a driver fleeing a shootout he witnessed in June in a nightclub argument that ended in the shooting death of 19-year-old Jshun Smith.

Panama Citypolice have not yet identified those involved in the incident or if anyone was injured.

Check back for updates

Police offer reward for person with accused shooter

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PANAMA CITYPolice are offering a reward for information that leads to the identification and arrest of a person believed to have been with a man charged with shooting at the family of a man found dead last week.

Panama City Police officers arrested Darrian Aundre Guilford Hamilton, 36, of Oakland, Cal., and charged him with aggravated assault and felon in possession with a firearm, when he fired a weapon early Saturday at family members of Tavish Greene, who was found dead in the trunk of a parked car Thursday in Panama City. No one was shot in the incident.

Police believe there was someone with Hamilton, and they’re offering a reward for information that leads to that person’s arrest.

People have received a rash of false reports from callers alleging there are bodies being found at other locations throughout Panama City since Greene’s body was discovered. Police urged people to check local news outlets for accurate information, as the police department would notify media organizations immediately if such information were true.

Greene was a witness to the June slaying of Jshun Smith, 19, of Atlanta, during a gunfight outside a Panama City nightclub. Greene and Smith were both in a fleeing vehicle when Smith was shot and fell into the street.


Police seek info about shooting

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PANAMA CITY — Law enforcement officers requested residents keep information flowing Monday but asked residents to stop spreading rumors on social media after being inundated with false reports of dead bodies being found over the weekend throughout Panama City.

None of the people reporting suspiciously parked cars throughout the city, which may or may not contain dead bodies, have been charged with filing false police reports. But since Thursday’s discovery of the body of Tavish Greene, 24, in the trunk of a 2004 Chevy Malibu behind 526 E. Eighth Court, law enforcement officials have experienced a surge in missing person reports and suspicious vehicles, Police Chief Scott Ervin told media outlets Monday during a press conference.

One of the three incorrect reports led Panama City police to a car in St. Andrews. Because of the report, police popped the car’s trunk, which left it unsecured. Police then had the car towed to impound for safe keeping, Ervin said.

“We have to act on that kind of information to at least verify if there is or isn’t, and there was no body in that trunk,” he said. “A lot of it appears to be social media or somebody heard someone say this. It’s all rumor, but wheels start to turn and they start drawing inferences on their own.”

Sheriff Frank McKeithen and Springfield Police Chief Philip Thorne also were present and promoting community assistance in reporting unlawful activities.

Officials have not released the cause of Greene’s death, but Ervin announced Monday investigators have enough information to work the case as a homicide investigation.

Greene had been missing since July 20 before being found in the trunk of his car Thursday morning. His mother said he had received death threats after witnessing a passenger in his car get shot in the head near KJ’s Nightclub, 908 Martin Luther King Blvd., at about 3 a.m. on June 9.

The shooting allegedly transpired because 19-year-old Jshun Smith, Greene’s passenger, bought a drink for a girl at the nightclub, according to police reports.

The confrontation continued out into the parking lot where other witnesses said they saw Khiry Ross, 24, and Marcus Mathis, 25, engaged in a shootout with Smith, of Atlanta.

Smith was struck in the head at some point and fell out of Greene’s car onto the roadway as the vehicle sped away, police reported.

Ross and Mathis have been arrested in connection to the shooting. Ross was charged with an open count of murder and Mathis is charged with being an accessory. Both men are in jail.

Smith’s death was one of five gun-related slayings concentrated in a one-mile area of the city.

“We’ve started increasing our resources in these particular areas and we’re going to continue to do that,” Ervin said. “There are things going on that we are concerned about — drugs and gun crimes.”

Police also addressed a Saturday shooting at Andrews Place Apartments at 1914 Frankford Ave.

No one was hurt in the shooting, which occurred at about 2:30 a.m., police reported.

Darrian Aundre Guilford Hamilton, 36, has been charged in the shooting, and police said no direct link between the shooting and Greene’s body existed.

A second person is believed to be involved in the shooting but has not been identified. Police are offering a reward of an unspecified amount for information leading to the identification and arrest of the second party and asked people to look for official reports of missing persons or found bodies before turning to social media.

“A lot of people have information involving gang activity, drug activity and gun activity and we want them to report that,” Ervin said. “If they don’t want to call us directly, we have Crime Stoppers that they can remain anonymous and get that information to us; and hopefully we can prevent some of these things from happening.”

WHO TO CALL

If you have any information in reference to the recent shootings, contact Sgt. Jon Morris at the Panama City Police Department, 850-872-3100, or you can report your tips anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 850-785 (TIPS).

Man arrested after chase

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BAYOU GEORGE -- Deputies have arrested a man who tried to escape arrest in a sports car running on gas fumes, Bay County Sheriff’s Office reported Monday.

BCSO arrested Christopher Marcus Coleman, 19, after receiving reports of a white Chevrolet Camaro with a black top driving erratically Sunday at 9:20 p.m. U.S. 231.

A BCSO deputy saw the Camaro pulling into the Express Lane convenience store and gas station on Star Avenue and John Pitts Road. The deputy attempted a traffic stop, turning on his blue lights, when the car sped off in a turn southbound onto Star Avenue.

The Camaro seemed to be experiencing engine trouble, traveling only about 40 to 45 miles per hour, the officer reported.

Coleman crossed over into the oncoming lane, causing other vehicles to swerve to avoid hitting the Camaro. This continued until the Camaro approached Star Lane when it barely made the turn and drifted to a stop in the middle of the roadway, BCSO reported.

The deputy, using his vehicle’s PA system, ordered the suspect to show his hands. Coleman, however, sat motionless in the driver’s seat, staring at the deputy in his rearview mirror. At this point another deputy was traveling in the opposite direction coming out of Star Lane, approached Star Avenue. Seeing the second deputy stop, the suspect lifted his hands and followed instructions, BCSO reported.

Coleman was arrested and charged with fleeing and eluding and failing to obey a law enforcement officer, knowingly driving while license suspended or revoked, two counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (MDMA and Alprazolam), possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana more than 20 grams.

Man charged in check-cashing scheme

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PANAMA CITY -- A Panama City man will spend the next several years on probation for a role he played in a Georgia-based bogus check-cashing operation, according to court documents.

Ernest Jones, 36, pleaded no contest to grand theft and passing forged instruments charges Monday after cashing fraudulent checks at Friendly Check Cashing, 540 E. Sixth St. Jones cashed his last check for $828 as part of the Georgia-based fraudulent check-cashing ring, police reported.

Jones provided a copy his driver’s license to Friendly Check Cashing, which is standard operating procedure of the business. He was sentenced to five years of probation. 

Sheriff: Girl injured in plane crash has died

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A second life has been claimed by Sunday afternoon’s plane crash on a stretch of Caspersen Beach in Venice, the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office reported this morning.

Oceana Irizzary, 9, succumbed to the injuries she received from the crash.

Her father, Ommy Irizarry, 36, died at the scene of the crash.

The crash and the family’s deaths are being investigated, the Sheriff’s Office reported.

The father and daughter were walking along the shore of Caspersen Beach, an undeveloped beach at the end of Harbor Drive, when a Piper Cherokee came down, losing a wheel, crippling a wing and smashing a propeller.

Either the damaged plane or its debris hit the two beachcombers, officials said.

The man died at the scene. Bayflite paramedics airlifted the girl to All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, where she was reported to be in critical condition.

The Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office notified the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office that Oceana had died this morning.

The plane’s pilot, Karl Kokomoor, a well-known Englewood businessman, and passenger David Theen walked away from the crash with no injuries.

Update: Police investigate human remains found in Panama City Beach // photo gallery

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PANAMA CITY BEACH — Police began investigating a death Tuesday after finding the remnants of an unknown human body in a densely wooded area of Panama City Beach.

Crime scene units of Panama City Beach Police taped off about an acre of woodlands just south of Panama City Beach Parkway, between Gardenia Drive and Fernwood Street, at about 1:30 p.m. A crew of workers clearing the vacant lot with a small, excavator bulldozer called police after coming across what they thought could be a human skeleton. As crime scene investigators and the medical examiner arrived on the scene, they determined the remains to be human in origin but could not make a positive identification of the person as of Tuesday.

Police discovered no evidence of foul play; but the climate, amount of undergrowth and decomposition made it difficult for officials to establish a cause of death, a timeline or even the gender of the person, according to Chief Drew Whitman.

“It’s definitely human remains,” Whitman said, noting a significant amount of debris had grown up through the bones. “They could’ve been there days, months, years — it’s hard to tell right now.”

Police were hacking away vines with machetes, removing branches with chainsaws and unearthing undergrowth with shovels to clear an area for crime scene investigators to search for evidence.

Whitman said they had yet to discover anything indicating the site would have been used as a camp. Residents along the adjacent neighborhood of Fernwood Street hadn’t seen anyone coming or going recently because the 20-foot-by-20-foot area of thick brush made it nearly impassable.

Clothes recovered from the scene also were too deteriorated to give significant clues as to gender or age range, Whitman said.

“For the most part, it is just skeletal remains,” he added.

Police cleared enough brush to move in large overhead lights to continue gathering clues for their investigation late into the night.

“Our crime scene will be out there all night long,” Whitman said. “It is a long, tedious process, but we want to make sure we do it right for this person’s family.” 

PHOTO GALLERY

An earlier version of this story appears below:

PANAMA CITY BEACH — Law enforcement is working a wooded area off Back Beach Road (U.S. 98) on Tuesday afternoon after crews discovered human remains, police said.

The remains were located between Gardenia and Fernwood streets. Police said it was unclear of the gender or how long the human remains had been there.

Check back soon for updates

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