Shooting at Palm Bay homeless camp leads to murder charge

Suspect claims victim threatened to kill him

PALM BAY, Fla. – A Palm Bay man faces a murder charge after police said he shot another man to death at a homeless camp in Palm Bay Sunday evening, according to News 6 partner Florida Today.

Roger Logan Walker, 24, of the 2700 block of Pinewood Drive, Palm Bay, is charged with second-degree murder and carrying a concealed firearm in the death of Jimmy Lee Woodson, 34, also of Palm Bay.

The shooting happened between before 5:30 p.m. Sunday at a location on Londale Avenue in northeast Palm Bay, said Lt. Steve Bland of the Palm Bay Police Department. 

Walker told Palm Bay police that he regularly walks near the homeless camp on his way to work and had recently noticed a woman, who lived in the camp with Woodson, with bruising and other injuries to her face.

Police said Walker and his brother were driving in the area when they saw Woodson telling the same woman that she needed to get inside before he "beats her (expletive) teeth in," according to the affidavit.

That's when Walker and his brother got out of their vehicle and confronted Woodson. Police said the three men argued and at some point, Walker kicked Woodson and Woodson hit Walker's brother in the head with a dull knife and Woodson brandished a butane torch.

Walker and his brother left the homeless camp but then returned later that same day with two friends who are military veterans, the report said. During the second confrontation, Woodson looked Walker in the eyes and told him, "I'm going to (expletive) kill you," according to the affidavit.

Police said Walker then shot Woodson several times in the midsection before throwing the unregistered Springfield XDS 9 mm gun into a nearby pond.

Authorities searched the pond on Monday but were unable to find the firearm, Bland said.

Neighbor Sharon Wade said she heard the fatal shots.

"I knew it was gunfire, like five or six times. It's just a tragedy and it's so sad that it has to happen so close to home where people live," Wade said. 
 


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