Domestic Violence Manhunt
Here is a follow-up to the story we had Wednesday afternoon. Walton County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of domestic battery by strangulation of a pregnant female and ended up in a manhunt off of White Creek Road, north of the Red Bay area.
The suspect, Jason Allen Hamilton, fled on foot through the woods after his girlfriend called 911 and made the report. While deputies were on scene and taking the victim's statement, Hamilton appeared in an open field behind the home. Deputies attempted to approach Hamilton but he fled on foot into a swampy area, at which time deputies established a containment perimeter. The Sheriff’s Office helicopter was dispatched and with the assistance of the Walton Correctional Institute K-9 unit, Hamilton was located in the wooded area not far from the scene.
Hamilton was arrested and transported to the Walton County Jail, and is facing charges of felony battery by strangulation, aggravated battery on a pregnant female, domestic violence, and resisting arrest without violence.
Court Cases
During Thursday’s pre-trial conferences Walton Circuit Judge Kelvin Wells considered four cases involving murder.
Todd Ball, suspected of killing his wife, Laurie Kim Ball in 1999, came before Wells. The attorney said they have nearly completed the major portion of the discovery and the state is preparing witnesses. They told the judge almost all issues are resolved in preparation for trial. The work will not be done in 60 days and both sides asked Wells to schedule the trial for January of 2011. Part of the reasoning is due to some witnesses being out of state. Wells agreed.
Theresa McKee came before Judge Wells. She is the woman accused of shooting her friend, Stephanie Lockwood, at a home in north Walton’s Liberty community. The defense attorney said they are considering continuing to September with a potential trial in October or November. McKee’s family still questions what happened.
Thomas McCoy is
still in federal custody in south Florida. He is the individual charged with
shooting a beverage serviceman at the college in DeFuniak Springs, then fleeing,
starting an intense manhunt. He was eventually caught in the
Jeffery Yates also came before the judge and agreed to go to prison for the rest of his life. He is the man accused of killing Elizabeth Andrews in north Walton and fleeing in her Ford pickup truck, starting a manhunt in August of 2009. He was caught after a former deputy sheriff, Hayward Thomas, noticed the truck and called law enforcement. The state’s offer was life in prison without the possibility of parole. Dr. Larson has given a psychological review and the defense attorney said there was no indication Yates could not face the judge. The state had no victims wanting to speak. Yates pled no contest for the capital murder. He could have received the death penalty. He also pled to robbery with a firearm and grand theft auto. The state said he had a premeditated design while robbing or carjacking and beating Andrews, then shooting her. He had a 380 handgun and carried the handgun during the robbery and used it to shoot her. Wells adjudicated him guilty on all counts and gave the life in prison sentence.
While not on the docket, Wells and the attorneys discussed Danny Roy Baker, the man charged with shooting into a south Walton condo and killing several Chilean young people and injuring others. He is to be evaluated by Dr. Larson to determine if he is able to stand trial. The trail is expected to take place next year.
Drug Traffickers Sentenced
The Multi-jurisdictional Drug Task Force and Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Force announce the successful conclusion of a nearly yearlong investigation into the cocaine trafficking activities of 46-year old James “Starchild” Musgrove and his son, 27-year-old Muhammad Shakein Williams.
The joint investigation also included the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fort Walton Beach Police Department which provided historical intelligence and operational support.
Musgrove and Williams were indicted on federal charges on Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 on conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute powdered cocaine in excess of five kilograms and fifty grams of cocaine base (crack), as well as possession of cocaine base with the intent to distribute in excess of fifty grams. Those charges alone involve an estimated wholesale value of $300,000 worth of cocaine.
The pair entered guilty pleas April 16th in U.S. District Court in Pensacola.
On Monday, July 19th, Senior Judge Lacey Collier sentenced Williams to 240 months in the Bureau of Prisons followed by five years supervised release.
On Wednesday, July 21st, Sr. Judge Collier sentenced Musgrove to the same terms.
The father and son became subjects of an investigation based upon citizen tip information and intelligence gathered from other investigations.
FWC Reports In BUI Conviction
Thursday afternoon a jury in Shalimar found 48-year-old Augusta “Gus” Frederick Kennedy, of Destin guilty on three counts of boating-under-the-influence (BUI) manslaughter after deliberating for only one hour. Kennedy was charged in the deadly boat crash off Okaloosa Island near Brooks Bridge on Sept. 4, 2009. His blood alcohol levels at the scene were 0.192 and 0.194. The legal blood alcohol level is 0.08.
Kennedy was operating an 18-foot Bayliner when it crashed into a boat being operated by 56-year-old William Brenner, of Daphne, Alabama. The collision resulted in the deaths of 79-year-old George Brenner, and 78-year-old Donna Brenner, both of Mobile, and 70-year-old Jeane Crowson, of San Antonio, Texas.
As the
City attorney Clayton Adkinson
talked about the garbage franchise with DayCo. He said the county had learned
there has been a significant overbill from DayCo to Walton County for about
$600,000. Apparently DayCo submitted a letter acknowledging there was a billing
error. DayCo had offered to pay the county back at $5,000 a month. The county
has an opinion that some of the overbilling occurred within the
The attorney recommended the Freeport Council follow what the county has done since the county actually pays DayCo. He suggested doing this on a temporary basis until the matter is resolved. Adkinson said the council has the right to terminate the contract based on the billing errors, but recommended not doing so right away since they still need garbage collection until something else is done. Mayor Mickey Marse said DayCo is local people and this creates a little problem with him. Marse said Leroy Day, who wrote the letter acknowledging the overpayment, also later retracted the letter. Council member Earl King said he thinks the lawsuit came after the letter, after DayCo reviewed the issue.
King said they can not allow the
city to get stuck without garbage service. He also said his opinion is the city
is not big enough to save DayCo and they can not get caught on a limb and end up
with garbage in the streets. He said it is not just the local business, but the
local employees. Marse said the county already has someone lined up to take over
the garbage on the 15th and DayCo’s employees will be offered work.
Adkinson said his point is to leave the hauler to the county, though he pointed
out the franchise is still
King, saying he would have to be the bad guy and basing it on the attorney’s recommendation, made the motion to terminate the contract along with the county. The vote passed 4-1. Marse and King asked why the county waited so long to make the decision. Council member Charlie Simmons said he is aggravated because the county should have sent someone to let them know what was going on. Simmons was the nay vote.
WZEP News Segment 3
In Gulf Coast Pro
Baseball
This Sunday, July 25th, the DeFuniak Red
Sox travel to Cambellton, FL to take on the Wild Cats. This will be the first
time the teams have played each other since 1986. For more information, call
218-0134.
Obituaries
Christopher Emanuel Richards, age 62, of DeFuniak Springs, passed away Friday, July 16. Funeral services will be announced at a later time by Davis-Watkins Funeral Home.
John R. Thompson, age 61, passed away July 20. Funeral arrangements will be released later by Clary-Glenn Funeral Homes.
Mrs. Lennie Mae Henderson-Prevatt, age 69, passed away Wednesday, July 21. A time of visitation will be held 6:00~8:00 PM, Sunday, July 25, at Clary-Glenn Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held 1:00 PM, Monday, July 26, at Clary-Glenn Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow in the Paxton Cemetery. Floral arrangements are being accepted. You may go online to view obituaries, offer condolences, sign guest book, at www.clary-glenn.com. Clary-Glenn Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements.