Suspects in death of Bradenton smoke shop owner indicted on first-degree murder charges
The man detectives say hit a Bradenton smoke shop owner with a bayonet affixed to a rifle and then shot him in the head during a robbery and two of his accomplices have been indicted on first-degree murder charges.
A grand jury Monday handed up indictments charging Amado Zeppi, 20, James Brewer, 19, and Michael Hepner, 21, with first-degree murder.
The three men and a fourth suspect, who remains at large and has not been identified by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, planned the robbery at the Green Galaxy Smoke Shop, 3212 First St., in the Oasis Plaza shopping center, according to detectives and prosecutors.
Mohammed Hamed ran the shop with his brother and was known to sleep in the back room of the store.
Just before 11 p.m. on Sept. 17, the store’s video surveillance system captured the armed suspects walk into a restricted area in the back of the store, triggering an alert to be sent to Hamed’s brother. As he watched the gunmen standing over his brother on the ground, Hamed’s brother called 911.
Video cameras captured when Brewer walked into the store first to distract Hamed, according to detectives. Then Zeppi, armed with an SKS rifle with a bayonet attached, and the unnamed robber walked in both wearing something to cover their faces before Brewer returned to the getaway car where Hepner was waiting.
Zeppi and the remaining robber forced Hamed into the back room of his shop and made him open a small safe. They filled a bag and the fourth suspect walked out the store’s back door.
It is then that detectives say video cameras captured Zeppi, who was still pointing the rifle at Hamed, hit the victim with the bayonet without any provocation. The rifle discharged, hitting Hamed in the head.
By the time deputies arrived and entered the store, Hamed was dead.
All three suspects had initially been charged with second-degree murder. In Florida, only a grand jury can bring first-degree murder charges. If convicted of first-degree murder, they could be sentenced to die if prosecutors decides to pursue the death penalty.
The sheriff’s office would still not identify the fourth suspect’s name on Tuesday as it continues to actively pursue the suspect, according to spokesman Randy Warren.
This story was originally published January 7, 2020 at 3:48 PM.
