Jury listened as witness who took part in armed home invasion, fatal shootings described the crimes

A jury listened Tuesday as one of three men who took part in an armed home invasion that ended with the fatal shooting of a Bradenton couple testified against another.

Jurors watched as Terez Jones described each shot by saying, “Pow,” and making the motions of a gun with his hands.

With each “pow,” the victim’s loved ones became visibly upset as they too watched and listened.

Trey Nonnombre, 20, is facing two counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed home invasion in the July 9, 2015 fatal shootings of Kantral Brooks and his girlfriend Esther Deneus in the 3900 block of Southern Parkway. If convicted of first-degree murder, the state will seek the death penalty.

Nonnombre was one of three suspects identified after images from the couple’s home surveillance were released to the public following the murders. Jones, 35, and Jimmie McNear, 20, also were also indicted on identical charges.

Jones, however, took a plea deal in May and became a witness for the state. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison for two counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed home invasion but as part of the agreement Jones has to testify truthfully against Nonnombre and McNear.

The state rested its case against Nonnombre on Tuesday afternoon after the jury listened to Jones describe the armed home invasion and murders in detail.

Jones and Reggie Holmes had arrived at the home of Xavier Walker at about 10:30 p.m. on July 8, 2015, the night the plan to burglarize Brooks’ home would unfold, Jones explained as he was questioned by Assistant State Attorney Art Brown. Walker was already accompanied by Cameron Wortham, and sometime soon after they were joined by Nonnombre and McNear.

When discussing possible burglary targets, Brooks was mentioned by Wortham because he knew Brooks had cocaine and money they could steal, Jones said, collaborating the testimony of others. Jones, Holmes, Nonnombre, McNear and Wortham drove by the house on a dry run.

Between two and a half and three hours later, Jones said he led them back to Brooks’ house as he drove with Holmes, Nonnombre and McNear in the car he drove. Wortham followed, but he bailed out after they passed some cops, Jones said.

Jones told the jury that he had put on a hoodie and Nonnombre and McNear each had their faces covered. Nonnombre was the only one with gloves on. The three were armed with a handgun, when Holmes realized he couldn’t go in unarmed and without a mask or gloves, so Jones said he decided to go in while Holmes decided to wait in the car.

McNear, already prepared with a brick in hand, threw it through the window of the front door, said Jones, who then recalled telling Nonnombre to open the front door since he had gloves on.

The break-in set off the home’s security system so Jones went straight to the master bedroom, he explained.

“When I went into the room I realized that Kantral and the girl was in the bed,” Jones said.

Jones described how he jumped into the bed to separate them so he could take Brooks over to the security alarm system’s keypad.

“I told him you know what time it is, turn off the alarm,” Jones said.

McNear was behind him, and Nonnombre was busy pulling out drawers and ransacking the bedroom. A brief struggle ensued between Jones and Brooks, and when Brooks tried to run out he grabbed him by his boxers, Jones said.

Brooks then slipped on some broken glass, and that’s when Jones said he shot him, “Pow.” Brooks tried to get up and McNear fired another shot, Jones said.

Nonnombre came out of the bedroom and fired, “pow, pow, pow,” at Brooks also, Jones said.

That was when he heard Deneus say, “Not in front of my kids,” Jones said. “When she said that I was heading out the door.”

McNear followed him, and when Nonnombre caught up to them in the car, Jones said, “I asked him if he shot the girl.”

Defense attorney Daniel Hernandez later questioned Jones about why he had pleaded not guilty until earlier this year.

“Until you had a deal worked out you maintained your innocence,” Hernandez asked.

But Jones said it was his defense that had approached Brown with an offer to testify. Hernandez, however, asked hadn’t he needed to implicate Nonnombre in order to get the deal he got.

“I knew I had to get up here and tell the truth,” Jones said.

Nonnombre is not expected to put on a defense after his only witness changed his mind at the last minute. On Monday, Circuit Judge Diana Moreland also explained to him that his mother had been allowed to sit in the courtroom because his defense had decided not to use her as an alibi as previously intended.

On Wednesday, jurors are expected to hear closing arguments and be instructed, before being handed over the case. Once deliberations begin, jurors will be sequestered until there is a verdict.

Court is set to resume at 8:30 a.m. when the defense will argue their motion for acquittal.

This story was originally published September 26, 2017 at 6:49 PM with the headline "Jury listened as witness who took part in armed home invasion, fatal shootings described the crimes."