A 15-year-old boy now faces adult charges of second-degree murder after he allegedly shot and killed a teenager riding a bicycle in a neighborhood near Pine Hills last September.
According to court filings from State Attorney Monique H. Worrell, Tommy Lagree Jr. has been charged with second-degree murder with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a minor. He remains in custody at the Orange County Jail.
The investigation began on the evening of Sept. 26. Around 6 p.m., Orange County deputies responded to a call at Keith Place and found 17-year-old Jahriel Benjamin Huertas lying in the roadway, collapsed on his bicycle. He had a gunshot wound to the head and was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where doctors pronounced him dead.
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Witnesses told investigators they saw several males fleeing the scene, including one wearing a white tank top and black shorts. A Sheriff’s Office helicopter later spotted someone matching that description at a residence on Kathy Jo Terrace. Deputies detained several individuals at the home and recovered a Taurus 9mm handgun found inside a backpack.
Shortly after deputies arrived, Lagree came to the scene with an attorney and surrendered to authorities, reportedly admitting he had shot someone.
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During the investigation, detectives interviewed two witnesses who had been in a van with Lagree just before the shooting. Both said Lagree showed them a handgun minutes before the incident.
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Investigators also reviewed DVR footage from Lagree’s home on Ashland Boulevard. The video allegedly shows Lagree and another male running inside the house shortly after the shooting, changing their clothes, and cutting Lagree’s distinctive hairstyle in what appeared to be an attempt to alter his appearance.
Forensic analysis later confirmed that the Taurus 9mm deputies recovered matched the shell casings at the crime scene.
On Oct. 7, deputies detained a second man who allegedly admitted he helped Lagree flee, dispose of the clothing, and hide the firearm before handing it off to someone else.
Lagree was formally charged as an adult on Nov. 24.
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