Man accused of murdering, robbing young father on trial three years later
TAMPA, Fla. - Prosecutors said Devonte Hightower plotted and executed the murder of a young father in order to rob him. They said he then tried to start a fire to hide his tracks.
Now, three years later, Hightower is on trial for that crime in Tampa.
Assistant State Attorney Mary Roenick said on May 7, 2020, a roommate of Tyler Henderson made the gruesome discovery.
Pictured: Devonte Hightower in a Tampa courtroom.
"What he sees is a pile of blood and his friend Tyler in a seated, slouched position on the floor covered in blood and unresponsive," said Roenick.
Prosecutors told the jury all the evidence points to Hightower with the motive being robbery. Hightower wanted Henderson’s guns and cash, according to prosecutors.
They point out right before the murder, Hightower sent a text message to a woman he was dating.
"The day Tyler Henderson was murdered at 9:15 in the morning Devonte Hightower texted Ashley Murillo ‘I’m gonna do that lick.’ A lick you will learn is slang for robbery," explained Roenick.
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She said after the murder, Hightower tried to hide his tracks and set the house on fire by burning clothes and other items on the stove and oven. His fingerprints, they said, were found on the stove's knobs and handle.
However, the defense tried to point the finger in a different direction. They suggested Henderson's lifestyle made him an easy target, and they referred to risky behavior that included drugs and possible gang ties.
Yet the mother of Henderson’s three children, Tiana Cruz, said she heard the rumors but never witnessed it. When Defense Attorney Chris Edwards asked about a red bandana at his grave site and the significance of it, Cruz replied, "I don’t know."
Yet, she did concede Henderson always carried a wad of cash with him and didn’t believe in putting his money in a bank account.
"If he didn’t have some on him, it would be hidden behind our China cabinet," explained Cruz.
Hightower is charged with one count of first-degree murder, robbery and armed burglary. The trial will resume Friday.