Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 11-15-16 Online Edition

Local
Man Found Beaten On Street Dies At A Local Hospital
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
Last Thursday, police re- sponded to the 2300 block of N. Nebraska Avenue, in reference to an unconscious man on the street. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later died of his injuries.
According to the Tampa Po- lice Department, the call about a man being down was received at 6:56 p.m. When officers arrived at 2317 N. Nebraska Avenue, they found 56-year-old Mr. Gregory A. Walker. Mr. Walker was unconscious and suffered upper body trauma.
Mr. Walker was living in the Tampa Park Apartments at the time of his death. He lived there for more than 20 years.
Police said early indications of their investigation revealed that Walker had been involved in a physical altercation with an- other man. Investigators have not determined what the alterca- tion was about that led to the fight.
GREGORY A. WALKER 3/19/1960 --- 11/10/2016
They are currently seeking a Black man, approximately 6’1” and weighing approximately 230 pounds. The man was last seen wearing a yellow tee-shirt and camo pants.
The case is being investi- gated as a homicide. Anyone with information about the inci- dent is asked to contact the Tampa Police Department.
Victim Was Longtime Tampa Resident
Mr. Walker was born in Americus, Georgia to James and Henrietta Walker. The family moved to Tampa when he was a child, his brother Reggie
Walker said.
Mr. Walker attended the
public schools of Hillsborough County and graduated from Plant High School. After reach- ing adulthood, Mr. Walker en- listed in the U. S. Army and served for 8 years.
After completing his military stint, Mr. Walker returned to Tampa. He was unemployed at the time of his death because he had a heart condition, his brother stated.
Prior to his becoming dis- abled, Mr. Walker worked as a mechanic and as a truck driver. In his spare time he enjoyed fishing.
In addition to his parents and brother, Mr. Walker is survived by a wife, 2 adult chil- dren, and a grandchild.
“He was a nice guy and he never bothered anyone. He just stayed to himself. He was a great guy and I loved him,” Reggie Walker said.
Funeral services for Mr. Walker were incomplete at press time.
Murder Suspect Captured By Georgia Deputies
MS. LATOYA SMITH
A 23-year-old man was taken into custody by deputies in Cobb County, GA on Novem- ber 9th. The deputies were re- sponding to a complaint of a vagrant near an exercise gym when they came in contact with Jovan Q. Higgins.
According to police, the deputies found Huggins sleeping outside of the busi- ness. They identified him and took him into custody based on the active warrant for his ar- rest.
A Tampa Police detective traveled to Georgia to interview Huggins about the murder of Ms. Latoya Smith. He is cur- rently being held at the Cobb County Jail, awaiting extradi- tion to Hillsborough County. Once he arrives, he will be charged with Ms. Smith’s murder.
Police said that on October
JOVAN Q. HUGGINS
20th, Ms. Smith, who was the mother of 3 children, was found in the roadway at 2110 W. Flora Street. She was suffer- ing from a fatal head wound.
She was transported to a local hospital, where she died from her injury. Police said she had been shot.
Shortly after Ms. Smith was located, a vehicle regis- tered to her was involved in a hit and run accident near Cass Street and Willow Avenue. A man wearing a red shirt was seen running from the vehicle.
Witnesses told police that Ms. Smith had been with her new boyfriend, Jovan Hug- gins, a short time before she was found in the roadway. His clothing description matched that of the suspect seen run- ning from the scene of the hit and run accident.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3