Fourth man arrested in killing of Bradenton vape shop employee during robbery, cops say
A 21-year-old Manatee County man has been arrested and charged in the 2019 death of Mohammed Hamed at the Green Galaxy Smoke and Vape Shop in Bradenton.
Three suspects have already been arrested in the slaying. Detectives say Coty Paulk is the fourth, and final, suspect in the case.
According to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, a lengthy investigation led to Paulk, who was arrested Monday and booked into the Manatee County jail.
According to the arrest warrant, Paulk’s DNA was found on the jacket he was seen wearing in video surveillance that captured the robbery and killing of Hamed.
Detectives say Paulk left the jacket with one of the other suspects, who was arrested early in the investigation. Paulk was interviewed in February, telling detectives he had never seen the jacket before, but DNA evidence suggested otherwise.
According to the warrant, Paulk was out on bond awaiting trial on an attempted murder charge in Hillsborough County, but remains in the Manatee County jail without bond.
On Sept. 17 of last year, James Brewer exited a vehicle being driven by Michael Hepner and entered the business to distract Hamed. Amado Zeppi and Paulk got out of the same car and entered the store behind them, detectives say.
Zeppi was armed with a SKS rifle equipped with a bayonet, according to the charges.
Brewer then left the store to get back into the vehicle with Hepner while Zeppi and Paulk took Hamed to the rear of the store where they began loading a bag with stolen items.
Zeppi continued to point the weapon at Hamed and then without provocation, swung the bayonet toward Hamed’s head, according to the sheriff’s office. The weapon discharged, killing Hamed at the scene.
Paulk is charged with second-degree murder.
Zeppie, Hepner and Brewer were initially charged with second-degree murder, but in January a grand jury indicted the three men on first-degree murder charges.
This story was originally published May 5, 2020 at 8:24 AM.