Victim's girlfriend testifies at pre-trial hearing after deadly shooting inside Lutz home

Pre-trial hearing for deadly shooting suspect

Anthony Williams is accused of killing Joshua Benjamin inside a home along Helena Street in Lutz last month. Allie Corey reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - On Tuesday, Anthony Williams appeared in court for his pre-trial detention hearing, where a judge set a $250,000 bond for a murder charge and $25,000 for a concealed firearm charge. 

What we know:

Anthony Williams is accused of killing Joshua Benjamin inside a home along Helena Street in Lutz on August 17. 

Inside the courtroom, the victim's girlfriend, Nancy Brady, relived what led to Benjamin's death. 

"I woke up to bickering and Anthony Williams telling Josh to tighten up and to go outside," Brady testified. 

What they're saying:

She told investigators that Williams, who is her neighbor, was standing in her bedroom when the victim told him not to barge in. She testified she told Williams to get out of her house. 

In court, she testified it was not rare for Williams to be inside the home, and she thought he left after the argument in her bedroom. 

She said the victim went to the bathroom, but when she heard the bathroom door open, "I got up and not even 10 seconds later I got to the end of the hallway and heard a gunshot." 

She got emotional on the stand when describing what she saw next. 

"I ran and saw Joshua by my fireplace, and he was holding his chest," Brady said. "I was talking to him and put my hand on his wound and Anthony jumped across and said ‘I had to.’"

She said she quickly called law enforcement and the victim went to the hospital where he later died. That's when the homicide investigation began. 

The backstory:

Detective Robert Klocksieben interviewed another witness in the home. The witness told him that the victim threw three punches at the defendant, which the defendant blocked by flailing his arms. Then, said during this, the defendant fell to the ground and immediately shot the victim. 

Detective Klocksieben said, "he advised that since it happened so fast, the gun may have already been in his hand when he fell." 

However, while on the stand, the detective testified that it may not be correct due to the angle of the wound on the victim.

The defense attorney asked, "The angle of the wound with Mr. Benjamin standing straight forward, the person who discharged the weapon within two to three feet would have to be above him for that angle." 

The detective then responded, "yes."

At the end of the hearing, when the judge set Williams' bond, the victim's mother had an outburst in the courtroom, saying, "my son doesn't get to go home, my son won't be home."  Deputies then brought her out of the courtroom.