SPRINGFIELD — Deputies have arrested a man who allegedly contracted his uncle as a hitman in the shooting death of a Springfield man, according to official reports.
Fredricus Vondell White, 27, was arrested Tuesday in connection with the death of 29-year-old Cagney Aaron Benson. White has been charged with principal to commit murder after investigators claimed he hired his uncle, Omar Redmon, to perform a hit for nearly $6,000, according to Bay County Sheriff’s Office records.
White allegedly was motivated to kill Benson because Benson recently had robbed him, BCSO reported.
Benson was found in a 2009 Chevy Cobalt on Dec. 18 at about 7:30 a.m. that was parked and not running at an intersection in the Maharaj Mobile Home Park, 518 Everett Ave. Police found Benson shot once in the face and once behind the ear, BCSO reported.
Investigators said the night before Benson was found dead, Benson and two other men robbed White, police said. One witness said Benson put a gun to White’s head and threatened to kill him, but one of the two other men stopped him. Benson then allegedly robbed White of his jewelry, cellphone, money and drugs, investigators reported.
Benson showed up later at Bambi’s Dollhouse, 2915 U.S. Business 98, at about 2:30 a.m. and attempted to sell some marijuana one witness said belonged to White. The witness attempted to call White several times to alert him and eventually received a text message from White stating, “Watch Benson and see what kind of car he gets in,” according to BCSO reports.
Authorities said White then called his uncle with the details. Redmon allegedly drove that night from his home in Luverne, Ala., to Panama City. According to cellphone records, Redmon was near the mobile home park on Everett Avenue. The phone was then turned off for 19 minutes, the period in which officials believe Benson was killed, BCSO said.
Redmon then drove briefly to Callaway before returning to Alabama.
Court records do not indicate Redmon has been extradited to Bay County or charged in connection with the shooting. BCSO could not be reached to comment about Redmon’s status.
White appeared before a Bay County judge Wednesday. His bond was set at $250,000.