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Couple charged with killing tenant faces judge
A couple is behind bars and facing charges for murder. They're accused of killing a tenant who was subletting their apartment in Brandon. They had their first appearance in court in Hillsborough County Wednesday afternoon. FOX 13's Kylie Jones reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - A husband and wife are accused of killing a tenant while they were trying to evict him from an apartment in Brandon.
James Llanos, 47, and his wife, Lizeina Cepeda, 39, were arrested in connection with the deadly shooting. The husband and wife made their first appearances in court in Hillsborough County via video conference Wednesday afternoon.
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The backstory:
Deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said they got a disturbance call shortly before 5:45 p.m. on Monday in the 1800 block of Lake Chapman Drive, which is where the Lakewood Place apartment complex is located. Once they arrived at the scene, deputies said they found a man dead with an apparent gunshot wound at the complex.
Investigators said the couple was subletting their apartment for 30-year-old Travon Jackson. On Monday, according to the HCSO, the couple entered the apartment to evict Jackson, and an altercation ensued.
That’s when investigators said Llanos shot Jackson to death.
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Dig deeper:
According to court filings, Llanos told detectives that they went to evict Jackson due to an eviction order filed by the apartment complex. Llanos reportedly said that the victim tried to push them out of the apartment, and he tried to hit the victim with his gun, but missed.
According to those filings, witnesses heard Llanos saying, 'Let go of my wife', and 'I'm going to kill you.' During the scuffle, Llanos reportedly fired one shot through the front door, which was partially closed at the time, hitting and killing Jackson.
Detectives say Cepeda said the victim had grabbed her by the neck at one point, but that he wasn't holding her neck at the time of the shooting.
First court appearance
Llanos and Cepeda appeared in court in Hillsborough County via video conference Wednesday afternoon.
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Llanos has been charged with first-degree murder while engaged in a burglary and armed burglary of a dwelling with assault or battery (dangerous weapon or explosive) (firearm great bodily harm/death). Cepeda was charged with first-degree murder while engaged in a burglary and burglary of an occupied dwelling with assault or battery.
What's next:
A judge ordered both to be held behind bars, pending a pre-trial detention hearing on Monday morning.
The Source: Information came from court documents and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.