Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog
As reported in the Tampa Bay Times, a 27 year-old man is accused of hiring a hit man to murder a woman and her daughter. The woman? An alleged victim of the man who was all set to testify against him at there upcoming rape trial.
Demetreius Morris was awaiting the trial in a Tampa jail. He sent out several notes to an unknown individual saying that he wanted to hire someone to kill the victim of a sexual assault charge he was preparing to fight. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, these notes were intercepted (and there are signs all throughout the Orient Road jail saying that all non-legal mail will be read).
The suspect was facing a rape charge from September when DNA matching him was found on the victim.
The 70 year-old victim was by a man with Mr. Morris’ DNA when she was giving him a tour of a church.
The police had previously gotten DNA from the Defendant when he was found guilty of a 2002 lewd and lascivious act on a child.
This DNA sample helped link him to the church rape and he was charged with kidnapping, sexual battery and lewd and lascivious molestation of an elderly person among other counts.
While he was in his Tampa jail cell he began writing a series of notes to the unnamed source. Between April 12 and April 21st, he wrote multiple times wishing to have the victim killed before the May 8th trial date. He “corresponded via hand-written notes to the listed witness expressing his desire to have a ‘hit’ placed on the victim and the victim’s daughter.” per the Sheriff’s Office.
How was he going to pay the hit man? With our tax dollars of course! He promised to pay the bill with his social security money that he was scheduled to get.
As of this writing, his May 8th trial date for rape is still going. Mr. Morris now finds himself facing an additional charge: solicitation to commit murder, a first degree felony punishable by up to thirty years.
Have you or a loved one been arrested for a violent crime? Then call the Pinellas County violent crime defense lawyers at Blake & Dorsten, P.A. today! These former prosecutors are experienced criminal defense and personal injury lawyers. They handle all criminal and car accident cases throughout the Gulf Coast of Florida including Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Seminole, Polk Manatee and Sarasota counties.
To speak directly with your Tampa criminal defense attorney call them at 727.286.6141 or click on the contact button. Blake & Dorsten, P.A…when your case matters!