Prosecutors seeking death penalty for three suspects in Bradenton double homicide

BRADENTON -- The State Attorney's Office will seek the death penalty for three suspects charged in the armed home invasion that left a mother and father dead with their five children inside the home.

Terez Jones, 33; Jimmie McNear, 18; and Trey Nonnombre, 18, are each charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shootings of Esther Deneus and her boyfriend, Kantral Markeith Brooks, both 29. All three are also charged with armed burglary of a dwelling.

"We have a deadline that requires us to give notification of intent, so that's what we did," State Attorney Ed Brodsky said. "Certainly we believe that is an option that we feel should be on the table and could re

visit it at a later time."

On Thursday, Deneus would have been 30, her sister said, making it a difficult time for her family still grieving the loss.

"I'm just happy that the judicial center can work for us instead of us having to decide what happens," she said.

Just before 4 a.m. July 9, Deneus and Brooks were shot to death in their home in the 3900 block of Southern Parkway West in Bradenton. Police said the couple's five children, between the ages of 1 and 11, were in the home at the time of the shootings and at least one was a witness.

Bradenton police responded within minutes when a security alarm system triggered a silent alarm after a brick was thrown into the glass in the front door.

Detectives reported two witnesses identified the three suspects in the days after the shooting.

Early July 13, police apprehended McNear and Nonnombre. Jones was arrested the next day by the U.S. Marshals Service in St. Petersburg.

All three are being held without bond in Manatee County jail. They are also each charged with one count attempted armed home invasion.

Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter @JDeLeon1012.

This story was originally published September 30, 2015 at 11:52 PM with the headline "Prosecutors seeking death penalty for three suspects in Bradenton double homicide ."