Deal may be close for man accused of killing girlfriend during foreplay

VALRICO, Fla. - Prosecutors say Andrew Shinault should have known better when he decided to use a loaded gun as a sex toy to turn his girlfriend on. Instead, it killed her.

"It’s the state’s position that the defendant was old enough and smart enough to know that it is not safe to point a loaded gun at an individual and continually pull the trigger while under the influence of meth," lead prosecutor John Terry said.
 
Back in June of 2019, Shinault was 23 years old when prosecutors say he decided to use a loaded gun during foreplay with his girlfriend, Paloma Williams. They say he pointed the gun at her and pulled the trigger. 

His girlfriend of two months died of a gunshot wound to the chest.

Now, 20 months later, Shinault is eager to skip a jury trial and cut a deal with the state. 

"No one really wins if this goes to trial," attorney David Futerman explained during a virtual hearing.

He says he and the prosecutor are close to a deal.

"In the meeting of the minds, which is where we are, we’ll end up at two years," said Futerman. 

So instead of decades in prison, Shinault is looking at a possible two-year prison sentence.

Before that happens, Terry wants to see what Shinault had in his system at the time of the shooting. He had told investigators he was on meth, but his medical records could say something else and that could sweeten the deal for Shinault.

"Mr. Terry’s position is, what is or is not in Mr. Shinault's blood, as to see if that offer will improve or whether or not a trial will or will not occur," added Futerman.

Shinault's next court date is March 30.