Murder suspect was awaiting trial on charge he tried to meet 14-year-old for sex

The suspect in the shooting death of a Bradenton homeless man was awaiting trial on charges he tried to meet a 14-year-old for sex, according to court records.

Albert Knowles, of Bradenton, was arrested Sunday in connection to the death of the 43-year-old man who was found dead inside Knowles’ home in the 2100 block of 21st Avenue West. The name of the victim has not been released, as investigators continue to try to locate his family.

On Monday afternoon, a judge ordered that Knowles be held without bond at the Manatee County jail.

Knowles admitted to the shooting, Assistant State Attorney Suzanne O’Donnell told Circuit Judge Deno Economou. The judge also revoked Knowles’ bond on the illegal sex charge.

The Public Defender’s Office asked to be appointed to represent Knowles, although it indicated that Knowles may soon have a private attorney. Knowles’ father, Timothy Knowles, is a partner with the law office of Porges, Hamlin, Knowles & Hawk, P.A.

Knowles is set to stand trial next April on charges he sent suggestive texts to an undercover detective posing as a 14-year-old girl, implying he would meet her for sex. After he was arrested, Knowles tried to blame it on another man, according to an arrest report. When detectives showed him that the phone used to send the messages had been in his possession at the time the messages were sent, Knowles admitted to the conversation, according to investigators

Meanwhile police have not yet released the name of the 43-year-old victim, as they continue the search for his family.

Before Bradenton police were called out to Knowles’ home on Sunday, Knowles had gone to his neighbor’s house and told him there was an emergency, according to a warrant affidavit. His neighbor, an off-duty deputy with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, later told detectives that when he went to investigate the emergency he saw the victim on the sofa, and Knowles said to him, “He’s not right.”

The off-duty deputy told detectives that Knowles had also given him conflicting statements about what had happened, first saying that the victim had shot himself, lead homicide Detective James Curulla stated in an arrest warrant affidavit.

Knowles then said, “My roommate shot at me,” according to the deputy.

But after detectives obtained a search warrant and crime scene technicians began to process the scene inside the home, investigators were able to determine that the handgun found near the victim had never been fired. The victim also appeared to have been shot three times while sitting on the couch, a medical examiner determined at the scene.

Knowles also told responding officers, “I shot this guy twice,” according to the affidavit. He was taken to the Bradenton police headquarters but he requested his attorney so he was not interviewed by detectives.

According to court records, Knowles has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and has struggled with drug abuse.

In January 2010, Knowles was arrested and charged with domestic battery and tampering with a witness. According to the arrest report, his mother had confronted him about some missing jewelry when he began yelling at her and so she locked herself in another room. He got into the room, grabbed her and held her against the wall.

The case was dropped less than eight months later, after Knowles completed a pretrial diversion program. He was ordered to undergo a drug abuse and mental illness evaluation as part of the program.

Knowles has been involuntarily hospitalized multiple times under the Baker Act after making threats to kill himself, throwing a brick at his father and threatening to shoot at deputies.

In 2009, Knowles had a disagreement with his parents, with whom he lived, over the storing of his handgun. The Smith and Wesson 9 mm handgun was voluntarily surrendered for storage to the sheriff’s office and later returned to his father.

Knowles’ arrest history also include charges of aggravated domestic assault, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia that were later dropped.

This story was originally published October 16, 2017 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Murder suspect was awaiting trial on charge he tried to meet 14-year-old for sex."