Page 35 - Florida Sentinel 7-30-21

Crime
Family Of Murder
Convicted Murder Suspect Gets 3 Life Sentences
Victim Seeks
Community Help
The family of a young homicide victim is asking for the help of the community to solve the crime. The murder took place in April of this year.
According to the Tampa Police Department, shortly before 2:30 a.m., on April 29th, James Gorham was shot and killed while in the 2400 block of E. Columbus Drive.
Gorham had been in Ybor City prior to his death. He reportedly left the area walking. For undetermined reasons an unidentified as- sailant shot and killed the young man.
Gorham was enrolled at the University of South Florida at the time of his death. He was majoring in Electrical Engineering, his family said.
His family has released photographs of James and they are asking anyone with information about his death to come forward to help
JAMES GORHAM
solve the crime.
Crime Stoppers of Tampa
Bay is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the suspect in- volved in this case.
Anyone with any infor- mation to share can contact a Tampa Police detective at (813) 276-3231, or provide it anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1-800-873-TIPS. Homicide; or online at www.crimestopperstb.com.
KENYATTA BARRON
Last week, a Hillsborough County judge sentenced a Tampa man to life in prison. He was convicted of killing his former girlfriend and at- tacking their children.
Ronnie O’Neal, III,
was sentenced by Hillsbor- ough County Judge Michelle Sisco. He was given 3 life sentences plus an additional 60 years in prison.
Earlier this month, the 12-member jury found O’Neal guilty of the first-de- gree murders of his ex-girl- friend, Kenyatta Barron and his daughter, Ron’Niveya O’Neal, a child with cerebral palsy who couldn’t talk. He was also found guilty of attempted first-degree murder of his
RON’NIVEYA O’NEAL
son, Ronnie O’Neal, IV, who testified against him during the trial. The little boy has since been adopted by one of the deputies.
O’Neal, 32, was also found guilty of two counts of aggravated child abuse, one count of arson, and one count of resisting a law en- forcement officer without vi- olence.
The jurists reached their decision after 41⁄2 hours of deliberation, and decided that O’Neal should spend the rest of his life in prison. However, O’Neal did not re- ceive the death penalty.
O’Neal represented him- self in the trial.
On the night of March 18, 2018, the Hillsborough
RONNIE O’NEAL, III
County Sheriff’s Office re- ceived a 9-1-1 call.
When they arrived at the scene, deputies found that O’Neal shot and beat the mother of his children to death with a shotgun, picked up a hatchet and attacked and killed their 9-year-old daughter, then used a kitchen knife to slash and stab their then 8-year-old son.
O’Neal then attempted to set fire to the house; his daughter’s body; and his son, who was still alive.
During the trial, O’Neal was unable to convince the jury that he killed Ms. Bar- ron to prevent her from killing the children. He also claimed that Ms. Barron had attacked him.
Man Charged With Murder In Motel Parking Lot
A 27-year-old man was ar- rested last week in Lakeland and charged with murder. He had been wanted by police as a “person of interest” in the case.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested Michael Godfrey Evans last Wednesday after being
into a vehicle. His bond has
nounced dead at the scene. Detectives identified Evans, of Lakeland, as a per- son of interest in this investi-
gation.
The two men had never
met. The victim has since been identified as 24-year- old Elijah Polie.
been set at $225,000. According to
police, on May 17, 2021, just before midnight, deputies re- sponded to the parking lot of the Fairfield Inn, 6720 Lake- view Center Drive. When the deputies arrived, they discov- ered an adult male in the parking lot and he was pro-
MICHAEL GODFREY EVANS
located in Lakeland. He was arrested on an active warrant for second-degree murder. He has also been charged with shooting at, within, or
UNCLE SANDY
When you see the world through serene eyes, 2, 19, 29, 32, 43, 58, you gener- ate peace wherever you go, 7, 12, 25, 34, 49, 58.
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