Extra gun, ammo and Vodka found at murder scene where suspect lived

Investigators found an extra gun, ammunition and a bottle of Vodka during a search of the home of a Bradenton man charged in the fatal shooting of a 43-year-old man.

The suspect, however, has a history of struggling with mental illness and substance abuse.

Albert Carleton Knowles, 30, of Bradenton, was arrested Sunday and charged with murder in the death of Donald Hammond, who was found dead inside Knowles’ home in the 2100 block of 21st Street West. Knowles is being held without bond at the Manatee County jail.

Knowles’ neighbor, an off-duty sheriff’s deputy, had alerted police to the scene after Knowles woke him up and said there was an emergency at his home. The deputy found Hammond shot dead with a pocket knife in his hand when he went over to Knowles’ home to investigate the emergency and called 911.

The off-duty deputy told detectives that Knowles had given him conflicting statements about what happened, but Knowles told police officers who responded to the scene, “I shot this guy twice.” One of Knowles’ explanations had been that he was shot at.

The weapon was in the back bedroom, Knowles had told his neighbor, according to an arrest report. The deputy retrieved the alleged murder weapon and later gave it to police.

During the search of Knowles’ home, another gun was found, according to a search warrant. That weapon was never fired, however, according to investigators.

Three extra magazines, two of which were loaded, were also found. Extra ammunition was found in various locations throughout the home.

Knowles has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and has struggled with drug abuse in the past, court documents revealed. He has been involuntarily hospitalized multiple times under the Baker Act after making threats to kill himself, to throw a brick at his father and threatening to shoot at deputies.

In 2009, court documents show that Knowles’ parents had concerns about him storing his handgun in their home, where he lived. The Smith and Wesson 9 mm handgun was voluntarily surrendered for storage to the sheriff’s office.

But when Knowles later petitioned the court for the firearm to be returned, the sheriff’s office expressed concern returning it “without a determination as to whether he is of unsound mind.”

The firearm was later returned, after a bill of sale transferring ownership of the gun to Knowles’ father was filed.

Knowles’ criminal history also includes arrests for charges of aggravated domestic assault, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. In June, he was charged with traveling to meet a minor for sex.

According to the charges, he sent suggestive texts to an undercover detective who was posing as a 14-year-old girl, implying he would meet her for sex. He is set to stand trial in April.

This story was originally published October 19, 2017 at 7:32 PM with the headline "Extra gun, ammo and Vodka found at murder scene where suspect lived."