Jan 18, 2006 7:07 pm US/Eastern
No Bond for Third Teen Charged In Homeless Murder
Daniel Lastra, CBS4.COM
FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4/MIAMI HERALD) ―
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William Ammons In Bond Court Wednesday
CBS4 News
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Jacques Pierre Beating Caught On Tape At FAU
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Williams Ammons is the latest arrest in the Ft. Lauderdale homeless beatings case.
CBS4 News
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Victim: Norris Gaynor
CBS4 News
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Esplanade Park where Norris Gaynor was beaten to death
CBS4 News
William 'Billy'' Ammons, the third teen to be arrested in connection to the beatings of three homeless men in Ft. Lauderdale, was sent back to the Broward County Jail without bond this morning following a brief court appearance. Ammons was re-arrested Tuesday after investigators found enough evidence to prosecute him for murder.
Ammons is expected to be held without bond as police widen their probe into the beating attacks on a number of homeless men in Fort Lauderdale, including the murder of Norris Gaynor.
Ft. Lauderdale police say that four boys riding in Ammons' 1997 black Chevy Blazer stopped at Esplanade Park early Tuesday of last week, where they launched a deadly attack against 45 year-old Norris Gaynor who was sleeping on a bench.
Police say Ammons fired yellow paint balls at close range into Gaynor's torso, while Thomas Daugherty, 17, bashed his skull with a baseball bat. Gaynor died at Broward General Medical Center a few hours later. Police recovered a paintball gun and several yellow paintballs at Ammons' home at 1106 SW 18 Court.
CBS 4 News Partner The Miami Herald also reported that a fourth teen, who is not expected to be charged, told police that Brian Hooks, 18, stood by holding a bat, but never struck Gaynor. Hooks and Daugherty surrendered to police on Sunday and have been charged with aggravated battery and murder.
Ammons had first been charged with the lesser charge of Aggravated Battery when he was arrested Monday night for beating 49 year-old Raymond Perez ourside Church-by-the-Sea just off 17th Street Causeway. A judge granted bail in the amount of $10,000, and Ammons was allowed to post $1,000 to gain his release. He left court alone, and eventually ran to escape reporters questions.
Police say Ammons implicated friends Daugherty and Hooks. both of whom were charged with the murder of Gaynor.
Prosecutors apparently decided they had enough evidence to also charge Ammons with murder in Gaynor's death, and ordered him re-arrested.
Daugherty was denied bond in court Monday.
Gaynor was buried in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday after a short funeral attended by about 25 relatives and strangers. His father was in the Navy and his family moved every few years when he was a child. His family described him as restless and as an adult he drifted around the country, working in landscaping, roofing and as an artist.
"This needs to be stopped," his mother, Georgia Gaynor, 72, told The Miami Herald about the attacks. "I don't want there to be another Norris Gaynor."
In addition to the murder charges, both teens also face Aggravated Battery charges for an attack on Jacques Pierre, 58, who had been sleeping on a bench outside the Downtown Ft. Lauderdale Campus of Florida Atlantic University. That attack was captured on surveillance video.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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