Last suspect in Southern Parkway murders abruptly leaves courtroom crying after being found guilty

The last suspect on trial for the fatal shootings of a couple during an armed burglary of their Bradenton home abruptly left the courtroom Thursday evening after being found guilty of murder.

Jimmie McNear, 21, was found guilty of second-degree murder with a firearm in the death of Kantral Brooks and guilty of manslaughter in the death of Brooks’ girlfriend, Esther Deneus. He was also found guilty of armed burglary.

McNear now faces up to life in prison with a minimum mandatory sentence of 20 years.

The jury of 12 deliberated for more than 14 hours beginning Wednesday afternoon. Jurors were dismissed late Wednesday night and returned at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, not returning to the courtroom until they had reached a verdict just after 5 p.m.

A sentencing date has not yet been set, but the defense has requested that an entire day be set aside for the hearing.

McNear’s mother, who sat alone behind him, began sobbing quietly as the verdicts were read.

“Please get me out of here, I don’t want to see my mom crying like that,” McNear said crying as he stood up and had to be escorted out of the courtroom before the proceedings had concluded.

Deputies and Assistant State Attorney Rebecca Muller briefly comforted the grieving mother, giving her tissues, before other loved ones came in and walked out with her.

Outside the courthouse, Assistant State Attorney Art Brown, the lead prosecutor on the case, said he was happy with the verdict and was thankful to the jury for their hard work.

In a statement to the Herald, lead homicide detective James Curulla said, “Justice has been served with this verdict. The children and families of the deceased can begin to heal.”

Just before 4 a.m. on July 9, 2015, Bradenton police were called to the home of Brooks and Deneus in the 3900 block of Southern Parkway in Bradenton after the break-in triggered their home’s security system. Officers arrived to find the couple’s five children, ages 1 to 11 at the time, standing together in the living room where both their parents had been shot.

The children, who officers testified appeared terrified when they arrived, had to be helped over Brooks’ body to exit the home while other officers attempted to aid Deneus.

McNear and his two co-defendants had all been indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and armed burglary, and the state had been seeking the death penalty.

Terez Jones, 35, took a deal in May however, pleading guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and one count of armed burglary and was sentenced to 25 years, avoiding the death penalty or life in prison. A condition of his deal was that Jones testify against his co-defendants.

A jury on Sept. 28 found Trey Nonnombre, 20, guilty of the two counts of first-degree murder and armed burglary as charged. He is scheduled to be sentenced at 9 a.m. Nov. 20.

This story was originally published November 9, 2017 at 6:23 PM with the headline "Last suspect in Southern Parkway murders abruptly leaves courtroom crying after being found guilty."