Felton Joseph Stevens, 17, Tristan Anthony Hampton, 18, Mason Adam Washington, 31, Danielle Stephanie Williamson, 18, charged with two counts of second-degree murder
The two young Mexican immigrants killed execution-style Monday in an
Englewood mobile home park lost their lives for $1,200 in a robbery
that turned deadly, authorities say.
Danielle Stephanie Williamson told detectives in a statement that she had dated the victims' roommate, and concluded that, because they were Mexicans, "they did not believe in banks," according to a court document.
Investigators believe Felton Joseph Stevens, 17, and Tristan Anthony Hampton, 18, both of Venice, pulled the trigger.
Mason Adam Washington, 31, was toting a rifle, they said. Washington hit one of the victims in the head with a pipe, causing an injury, according to Williamson's statement.
Williamson approached the home first, then gave the signal for the rest of the group to charge into the Mobile Gardens home park in the 100 block of Via Madonna.
The group anticipated finding $1,200 to $1,300 in the home, investigators say.
The three men and Williamson, 18, of Englewood have been charged with two counts of second-degree murder, suspected of causing the deaths of Cristobal Perez Rodriguez, 24, and Jose Manuel Lopez-Rodriguez, 22.
Charlotte County Sheriff John Davenport said that, during a search of the residence, officers did not find evidence of drugs in the home. He also said no one arrested for the crimes appeared to be under the influence of drugs.
A 15-year-old girl was also a member of the group. The girl, from Englewood, had been questioned and released by authorities.
She and Williamson have given investigators details of the crime.
Both, however, said they did not witness the shootings.
Williamson's father, Richard "Don" Williamson, 67, said Friday he had warned his daughter to break off her romantic relationship with Washington, 31, the oldest suspect in the five-member group.
"I kept telling her to stay away from him because he was bad news. I was raising hell with her every day," her father said Friday. "I had told him several times not to come by my house and to leave my daughter alone."
Richard Williamson said Washington had been providing alcohol to his daughter and other minors. He said his daughter might have met Washington on MySpace.com.
He said his daughter played community softball with the 15-year-old girl, who also participated in the robbery. He said he had met the girl and she was polite.
Authorities have not yet charged the girl with any crime.
Richard Williamson said Washington lived with another woman and that he confronted him about it, asking why he was also involved with his daughter.
"She always was a good daughter and listened until this guy came along," he said.
He said his daughter was gullible and that it was probably easy for Washington, who has served time in prison including 10 years for aggravated robbery and burglary, to influence a teenage girl.
"A 31-year-old hardened criminal could convince an 18-year-old that this was a good idea," Richard Williamson said.
His voice began to crack as he described his daughter's potential for a bright future, and again when he spoke of the two men who died and his daughter's ex-boyfriend, Antonio Paniagua Mandujano, who was a friend of the victims.
"God bless their souls. It's horrific," he said.
He said he spoke with his daughter this week, and she asked about her ex-boyfriend, who roomed with the victims. She wanted to know if he was OK.
She also was sorry, he said, about what had happened to Perez Rodriguez, known as "Chapulin," and Lopez-Rodriguez, nicknamed "Manecas."
Friends and co-workers all described the men as well-mannered and hard-working.
The suspects reportedly ordered the victims to lie face-down on the bed.
Williamson sat on a dresser and spoke to them in Spanish, according to the juvenile's statement.
The girl, whose name has not been released, said she heard Hampton say, "I should just shoot them."
Danielle Stephanie Williamson told detectives in a statement that she had dated the victims' roommate, and concluded that, because they were Mexicans, "they did not believe in banks," according to a court document.
Investigators believe Felton Joseph Stevens, 17, and Tristan Anthony Hampton, 18, both of Venice, pulled the trigger.
Mason Adam Washington, 31, was toting a rifle, they said. Washington hit one of the victims in the head with a pipe, causing an injury, according to Williamson's statement.
Williamson approached the home first, then gave the signal for the rest of the group to charge into the Mobile Gardens home park in the 100 block of Via Madonna.
The group anticipated finding $1,200 to $1,300 in the home, investigators say.
The three men and Williamson, 18, of Englewood have been charged with two counts of second-degree murder, suspected of causing the deaths of Cristobal Perez Rodriguez, 24, and Jose Manuel Lopez-Rodriguez, 22.
Charlotte County Sheriff John Davenport said that, during a search of the residence, officers did not find evidence of drugs in the home. He also said no one arrested for the crimes appeared to be under the influence of drugs.
A 15-year-old girl was also a member of the group. The girl, from Englewood, had been questioned and released by authorities.
She and Williamson have given investigators details of the crime.
Both, however, said they did not witness the shootings.
Williamson's father, Richard "Don" Williamson, 67, said Friday he had warned his daughter to break off her romantic relationship with Washington, 31, the oldest suspect in the five-member group.
"I kept telling her to stay away from him because he was bad news. I was raising hell with her every day," her father said Friday. "I had told him several times not to come by my house and to leave my daughter alone."
Richard Williamson said Washington had been providing alcohol to his daughter and other minors. He said his daughter might have met Washington on MySpace.com.
He said his daughter played community softball with the 15-year-old girl, who also participated in the robbery. He said he had met the girl and she was polite.
Authorities have not yet charged the girl with any crime.
Richard Williamson said Washington lived with another woman and that he confronted him about it, asking why he was also involved with his daughter.
"She always was a good daughter and listened until this guy came along," he said.
He said his daughter was gullible and that it was probably easy for Washington, who has served time in prison including 10 years for aggravated robbery and burglary, to influence a teenage girl.
"A 31-year-old hardened criminal could convince an 18-year-old that this was a good idea," Richard Williamson said.
His voice began to crack as he described his daughter's potential for a bright future, and again when he spoke of the two men who died and his daughter's ex-boyfriend, Antonio Paniagua Mandujano, who was a friend of the victims.
"God bless their souls. It's horrific," he said.
He said he spoke with his daughter this week, and she asked about her ex-boyfriend, who roomed with the victims. She wanted to know if he was OK.
She also was sorry, he said, about what had happened to Perez Rodriguez, known as "Chapulin," and Lopez-Rodriguez, nicknamed "Manecas."
Friends and co-workers all described the men as well-mannered and hard-working.
The suspects reportedly ordered the victims to lie face-down on the bed.
Williamson sat on a dresser and spoke to them in Spanish, according to the juvenile's statement.
The girl, whose name has not been released, said she heard Hampton say, "I should just shoot them."
I served on the jury for the trial of Mason Washington in January 2009. The other 4 perpetrators had all come to plea agreements. Felton, Tristan, and Danielle had all received sentences of around 25 years with the agreements. Felton, Danielle, and the 15 year old girl all testified. When the trial was done and it was time for the jury to deliberate, I was notified that I was an alternate juror and so would not be part of the deliberation and verdict. The jury came back within 2 hours with a guilty verdict, just as I would have done. Being that it was Mason's third strike, he immediately received 3 consecutive life sentences without parole.
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I was also on this same jury and I felt so awful for the victims and their families. I couldn't help but feel bad for the two young girls that were mixed up with the wrong people. I believe there is still hope for the 15 year old girl. I think the judge was trying to make it to where the girls would have some kind of a future. In the spring, the judge died of cancer and I felt very sad for her as well. After the verdict was announced, some of us on the jury feared for our safety but Thank God, nothing happened. I was so glad it was over. It was all just such a terrible waste of life.
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I am so sorry for the lost of those two men ... I blame the sad family that anthony hampton came from we know what his life was like before he got to this and this is prefect look at when some poeple should not be allow to raise children .... not too excuse what he has done ... but his parents should all so be pu there as well ...
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