Page 37 - Florida Sentinel 6-4-21

Crime
Double Murder Suspect To Represent Self At Trial
Manslaughter Plea Agreement Nets Man 7 Years In Prison
MS. KENYATTA BARRON 11/13/1984 —- 3/18/2018
Ms. Kenyatta Barron
and her daughter, Ron’Niveya O’Neal, were killed during a domestic vio- lence incident. Her daughter, Ron’Niveya O’Neal was also killed. Her son, Ronnie O’Neal, IV, was hospitalized with stab wounds and burns.
Ronnie O’Neal, III, the father of the two children and former boyfriend of Ms. Barron, was found in the garage of the burning home. He was charged with 2 counts of first-degree murder, 1
RON’NIVEYA O’NEAL 7/29/2008 —- 3/18/2018
count of attempted first-de- gree murder, and 1 count of first-degree arson.
Now, three years after the tragedy, O’Neal is slated to stand trial for their murders.
Last Friday, Circuit
Judge Michelle Sisco granted O’Neal permission to represent himself after he fired both defense attorneys.
The trial is set to begin on June 7, 2021. He is facing a possible death sentence.
One of the witnesses being called by the prosecu-
RONNIE O’NEAL, III Facing possible death penalty if convicted
tion is O’Neal’s son, al- though he will not testify in person. The child witnessed the attack on his mother and sister and gave police a state- ment at the time of the mur- ders.
The child was recently adopted by the caseworker assigned to his case. His name has also been changed.
Kenyatta Barron at- tended the public schools of Hillsborough County and loved writing and writing po- etry.
JUSTIN JASPER
A 34-year-old Tampa man has accepted a plea agreement that will require him to spend the next 7 years in prison. He was later ar- rested after he struck an- other man who died as a result nearly two years ago.
According to the Tampa Police Department, around 2:30 a.m., on September 26th, the victim, identified as Dyante Neal, was ap- proached by another man on the sidewalk outside the Coy- ote Ugly Saloon, on E. 7th Av- enue, in Ybor City. The video of the encounter shows the other man appeared to be at- tempting to engage the Neal in an argument. The video showed Neal appeared to at- tempt to avoid the other man.
At some point, Police said, Justin Jasper, who was in a nearby car, got out, approached Neal from be- hind and hit him in the side of his face. Neal fell, his head striking the pavement. As he lay on the ground, Jasper took a portable speaker Neal had been hold- ing and threw it at him, po- lice said.
Neal fell and struck his head on the pavement. He was unconscious when trans- ported to Tampa General Hospital with serious in- juries. His jaw and skull were fractured. His condition worsened and with no brain activity, his family decided to remove him from life sup- port, and he died six days later, on Tuesday, October
DYANTE NEAL
1st, police said.
A native of New York,
Neal was raised in Georgia. He was the youngest of three brothers at the time of his death.
An athlete, he played middle linebacker at North Cobb High School, in Kenne- saw, Georgia.
After graduating from high school, Neal moved to St. Petersburg, and later to his mother’s home in Tampa.
He enrolled at St. Peters- burg College and had plans to complete his Associates of Arts degree at Hillsborough Community College. He was 25 at the time of his death.
Jasper left the scene after the incident, but later cooperated with investiga- tors.
He surrendered to police and was released from the Hillsborough County Jail two weeks after his arrest.
Jasper had worked as a fitness model and was a for- mer Arizona State University football player. He had no history of trouble with the law.
In addition to serving the seven years in prison, Jasper will also be required to serve five years of proba- tion.
State Attorney Andrew Warren said, “This was an unprovoked violent attack, with no justification and no excuse — and the strong case we built to secure this con- viction makes it clear that our community won’t toler- ate it.”
Woman Jailed For Murder Of Relative
MS. DEBRA PATTON
Detectives have taken into custody a 67-year-old woman in connection with a murder in Carrollwood. The investigation began when friends reported a man miss- ing on May 30th.
Ms. Debra Pais Patton
was originally charged with abuse of a dead human body. However, after receiving the Hillsborough County Med-
The body was located at this Carrollwood home in the 11000 block of Cypress Park Street on May 30th.
ical Examiner’s report, Ms. Patton has also been charged with second-degree murder.
According to the Hills- borough County Sheriff’s Of- fice, Ms. Patton was living with a relative at a home on the 11000 block of Cypress Park Street, in Carrollwood, when her relative went miss- ing. The disappearance was
reported to police by friends on Sunday, May 30.
Following a search of the home on Monday morning, deputies located the body of an adult victim.
Police have not released the relationship between Ms. Patton and the victim, nor the cause of death.
The investigation is con- tinuing.
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