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Thread: Hepner, Paulk, Zeppi and Brewer Sentenced in 2019 FL Slaying of Mohammed Hamed

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    Hepner, Paulk, Zeppi and Brewer Sentenced in 2019 FL Slaying of Mohammed Hamed


    Mohammed Hamed


    Amando Zeppi (R), James Brewer (2R), Michael Hepner (2L) and Coty Paulk (L)




    Bradenton killer had a rifle with a bayonet. He used both to kill shop owner, cops say

    By Mark Young and Jessica De Leon
    Bradenton Herald

    Bradenton business owner Mohammed Hamed’s killer struck him with a bayonet affixed to a rifle, and then shot him in the head during a robbery at his smoke shop, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
    The suspect, Amado Zeppi, 20, was arrested Thursday and charged with second-degree murder. Detectives continue to search for two other suspects in the case.

    During a first appearance hearing Thursday afternoon, Circuit Judge Gilbert Smith Jr. ordered Zeppi be held without bond and also revoked his bonds in two unrelated criminal cases against him. Zeppi refused to appear for the hearing.

    Deputies were called to the Green Galaxy Smoke Shop, 3212 First St. in Bradenton, at about 11 p.m. Tuesday and found Hamed’s body after they were alerted by his brother, who was in Tampa and witnessed via the store’s video surveillance system two men holding his brother to the ground at gunpoint.

    Zeppi, James Brewer, 19, and another unknown male had planned the robbery, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. The driver who took the three to the Green Galaxy told detectives he took them to the shop to buy marijuana, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

    Brewer was captured on video surveillance getting out of the car and going inside to distract Hamed, according to the affidavit. A couple minutes later, Zeppi, who was armed with a rifle, and the unidentified suspect got out of the car with their faces covered and went into the store. Brewer then ran out of the shop and got back into the waiting car, the affidavit states.

    Zeppi and the unknown burglar ordered Hamed to the back room of the store and forced him to open a small safe that was in the bathroom. They packed a bag full of stolen items and then the unidentified suspect left through the store’s back door.

    Detectives say that Zeppi continued to point the rifle at Hamed and then “completely unprovoked” swung the rifle at the victim, hitting him with bayonet. That caused the rifle to fire and Hamed was shot in the head, killing him, the affidavit states.

    Another witness told detectives that the three had planned the robbery at his home and later returned with what they had stolen from the shop. They left the SKS rifle with a bayonet used in the robbery at his home. The rifle has been turned over to the sheriff’s office.

    Detectives say they are examining Zeppi’s social media for possible clues in the case.

    Zeppi on Wednesday shared on Facebook a link to a Bradenton Herald story about another shooting that occurred in East Bradenton on Wednesday morning, writing: “Ima start calling it murderville county smh.”

    Detectives had not seen the Facebook post before the Bradenton Herald posted an early version of this story. They said they could not rule out that Hamed’s death and the Wednesday morning shooting were related.

    Outside the Green Galaxy Smoke Shop on Thursday, while a funeral service was underway in Tampa for the victim, a memorial was growing with cards, flowers, candles and a poster filled with condolences. Some messages were short and simple, expressing love or that the victim rest in peace.

    Other messages offered more of a glimpse into the giving person Hamed was known to be, saying “Thank you for feeding me and giving me money when it was cold out.”

    The store remained closed Thursday, but the lights inside the store, including the open signs, remained as they have been since Hamed was killed.

    Before his arrest, Zeppi had been out on bond since April after being arrested on charges that he violated his probation when he was arrested on charges of burglary, grand theft, battery on a law enforcement officer, possession burglary tools, criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance. The charges stem from two separate 2017 felony cases.

    At the time of his October 2017 arrest, Zeppi tried to justify burglarizing a Holmes Beach home, telling police that the victim “probably owns three houses.”

    In April 2018, Zeppi pled no contest to the charges and was sentenced to five years of drug offender probation, including the condition he successfully complete a residential treatment program.

    According to court records, however, Zeppi violated his probation in January when he was found in possession of synthetic cannabinoids and again later that month when he was kicked out of the Bridges of America residential treatment program after he was found to be possessing drugs.

    https://www.bradenton.com/news/local...235250427.html
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Edited:

    2 more suspects arrested in connection with murder of Bradenton smoke shop worker

    By WFTS Digital News Staff

    BRADENTON, Fla. — Two more suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of a Bradenton smoke shop worker.

    According to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, 19-year-old James Brewer left a silver vehicle driven by 21-year-old Michael Hepner and walked inside the Green Galaxy Smoke and Vape Shop.

    All four of the suspects fled with Hepner driving the vehicle. On Friday, deputies arrested Brewer and Hepner. Brewer and Hepner are both charged with second-degree murder.

    Hepner's mug shot has not been released as of Friday afternoon.

    Zeppi, who was arrested Thursday, is also charged with second-degree murder.

    The fourth suspect is still on the loose.

    https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/r...obbery-attempt
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  3. #3
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Grand jury indicts 4 men for first-degree murder in 2019 Bradenton homicide

    All had been previously charged with second-degree murder, the sheriff's office said

    By Claire Farrow
    WTSP News

    BRADENTON, Fla. — A grand jury has upped the charges against four men accused of killing a man during an armed robbery of a Bradenton vape shop in 2019.

    The Manatee County Sheriff's Office says Amado Zeppi, James Brewer, Michael Hepner and Coty Paulk have all been indicted for first-degree murder in the death of Mohammed Hamed.

    All four were previously charged with second-degree murder, the sheriff's office said.
    According to the sheriff's office, 23-year-old Mohammed Hamed was shot and killed during a robbery at the Green Galaxy Smoke and Vape Shop in Bradenton on Sept. 17, 2019.

    Previous reporting of the case shows 21-year-old Amado Zeppi was the first arrested in connection to Hamed's murder, on Sept. 19, 2019. The sheriff's office says 21-year-old James Brewer and 22-year-old Michael Hepner were arrested on Sept. 20, 2019.

    Coty Paulk was arrested on May 4, 2020.

    According to a previous release, the sheriff's office said Brewer went inside the smoke shop to try to distract the owner. Then, investigators say Zeppi and a man later identified as Paulk came into the store, armed, with their faces covered. After they came inside, investigators say Brewer left the store and went into a car driven by Hepner outside.

    The sheriff's office said Hamed was ordered to the back of the store and forced to open a safe. Investigators say Zeppi and Paulk then filled a bag with store items, and Paulk left the store.

    According to the sheriff's office, Zeppi continued to point his gun at Hamed and hit him with it "unprovoked." Investigators say the gun fired and hit Hamed, killing him.

    All four men then left inside the car driven by Hepner, investigators said.

    https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/cr...0-23a9a97877f4
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  4. #4
    Senior Member CnCP Legend JLR's Avatar
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    Hepner got 10 years for 2nd degree murder.
    http://www.dc.state.fl.us/offenderSe...&TypeSearch=AI

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    4 men convicted in ‘senseless murder’ of Bradenton smoke shop owner during 2019 robbery

    By Jessica DeLeon
    Bradenton Herald

    All four men responsible for the death of a Bradenton smoke shop owner have been convicted of murder.

    Late on Sept. 17, 2019, Amado Alexander Zeppi and Coty Paulk walked into the Green Galaxy Smoke Shop, 3212 First St. Bradenton, wearing black masks and armed, court documents show.

    They ordered the owner, Mohammed Hamed, to the back room of the store and forced him to open a small safe that was in the bathroom. They packed a bag full of stolen items and Paulk left through the store’s back door.

    But Zeppi continued to point the SKS rifle, which had a bayonet affixed to it, at Hamed. Although completely unprovoked, he swung the rifle at the victim, hitting him with bayonet which caused the rifle to fire, shooting Hamed in the head and killing him.

    Hamed ran the shop with his brother and was known to sleep in the back room of the store. His brother saw Hamed being held at gunpoint on the store’s surveillance system and alerted law enforcement.

    On Friday, following a five-day trial, Zeppi and Paulk were found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder and armed robbery, the State Attorney’s Office announced Monday.

    Paulk was sentenced to life in prison, while a sentencing date is to be scheduled for Zeppi, who is also facing life in prison.

    “This was a senseless murder that was solved by the diligent work of the detectives at the Manatee County Sheriff’s office who arrested 3 of the 4 perpetrators within 36 hours of the offense,” Assistant State Attorney Rebecca Freel said in a statement.

    The other two defendants in the case, James Brewer and Michael Hepner, have both taken deals and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder with a firearm and armed robbery. Each had also been indicted of first-degree murder.

    As part of their plea deals, Brewer and Hepner both testified against Zeppi and Paulk at trial, identifying them as the masked gunmen.

    Brewer, who had gone into the shop ahead of Zeppi and Paulk to distract the victim, is set to be sentenced Nov. 17.

    Hepner — who drove the getaway car — was sentenced to 10 years in prison following by 10 years on probation.

    https://www.bradenton.com/news/local...268400972.html
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Last edited by Steven; 03-05-2023 at 05:10 PM.

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