Crime & Public Safety
Juror Removed at Gainesville Trial in 2017 Hawthorne Homicide Case
A trial in Gainesville involving the 2017 Hawthorne homicide proceeded Thursday with one seated juror excused and an alternate taking her place after the juror avoided viewing graphic evidence. The case concerns a woman who was shot in Hawthorne in 2017; prosecutors say investigators later used cell phone data to identify three suspects now facing first-degree murder charges together.
Court testimony on day three included a retired crime scene investigator who described photos of the Hawthorne home, the area where the shooting occurred, and the victim’s body. The investigator reported four casings and multiple bullet holes through one window and additional bullet holes and a single casing in a rear window. Several family members left the courtroom during particularly graphic images.
Prosecutors have charged Keneth Altidor, Blake Jackson, and Nikenson Perin with first-degree murder. Asserting the case went cold for seven years, the prosecution called witnesses this week; by Thursday a total of 13 witnesses had testified for the state, including a firearms examiner and recreational-shooting family members who said casings from one of their guns were found at the scene.
The judge also paused to consider whether to permit testimony from a potential witness currently serving a 20-year sentence who alleges he shared cells with two defendants and heard statements about the incident. Defense attorneys opposed immediate testimony and the judge asked that the inmate be kept local while a decision is made. The court continues to hear additional prosecution witnesses as the trial proceeds.
Agency actions are reflected in courtroom rulings and the ongoing presentation of evidence; allegations described in testimony remain claims presented at trial and have not been resolved by a verdict.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.