Man accused of Seminole Heights killings enters not guilty plea

The man accused of killing four people in Seminole Heights has pleaded not guilty through his attorney, according to reports.

Howell Donaldson III, 24, did not appear in court Tuesday morning for arraignment after waiving the right last week, Spectrum Bay News 9 reported. Donaldson’s attorney entered a written not guilty plea.

Donaldson was charged with four counts of premeditated murder with a firearm, according to ABC Action News. He was indicted last week in four deaths in the Tampa neighborhood since Oct. 9.

Benjamin Mitchell, Monica Hoffa, Anthony Naiboa and Ronald Felton were all shot to death between Oct. 9 and Nov. 14.

Donaldson was arrested Nov. 28 at a Ybor City McDonald’s after he handed a gun that was the same type as the one used in all four slayings to a co-worker, officials said at the time. The co-worker told police about the gun and Donaldson was arrested when he returned to the fast-food restaurant.

In a search of his vehicle and cell phone, investigators said they found evidence of blood stains on clothing and that his phone put him near the scenes of more than one of the killings.

The state has not decided if they are going to seek the death penalty, but expect to know by a Jan. 25 hearing, according to WFLA News Channel 8.

His parents, Howell Donaldson Jr. and Rosita Donaldson, are due to return to court Jan. 5 over the possibility of contempt of court charges, according to Bay News 9. The couple will have to either answer questions from the State Attorney’s Office about their son or explain why they can’t.

This story was originally published December 12, 2017 at 10:53 AM with the headline "Man accused of Seminole Heights killings enters not guilty plea."