ORLANDO, Fla. — The Thompson family remembers when they walked these same steps with their son.
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“We (used) to come here to the same (Sanford) court. We would play,” Kamicha Thompson said.
It is something they won’t experience again.
Destin Webster Thompson, 15, was shot to death in October.
Channel 9 spoke with his father, Shayne Thompson, and stepmother, Kamicha.
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The family moved from the island of Anguilla to Orlando in search of more opportunities and a better life for Destin.
Months later, Destin was killed in Orlando.
“We were told that he was mistaken for somebody else,” Shayne Thompson said. “And he was shot.”
Police arrested Agardo Francois, 30, for Destin’s homicide.
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“It’s not making logical sense,” Kamicha said. “Like, this is a 15-year-old. That’s a 15-year age difference.”
“Still trying to figure out why,” Shayne said.
Channel 9 investigated Francois’ lengthy criminal history and found a prior arrest for gun possession as a convicted felon in 2021.
Francois’ sentencing score sheet, which was signed by a judge, revealed the minimum time he was required to serve was three years.
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“He should have been in custody for at least 36 months,” Orange-Osceola County State Attorney Andrew Bain said. “Because you had to serve that day for day, that’s three years from 2021. That would give us a community of breakthroughs the next year and 2024.”
Channel 9 spoke to Bain about why Francois wasn’t in custody the day Destin was killed.
“Under the prior administration, he was allowed to plead the less than that,” he said.
Channel 9 found the plea negotiation agreement.
In the end, Francois was granted less than the mandatory minimum.
He served less than a year and was released in May -- five months before Destin’s death.
“The result of this was a 15-year-old child lost his life,” Bain said. “I just want justice to be so right now,” Shayne said.
Francois was arrested this week for allegedly robbing and assaulting someone with a weapon.
That’s when he was also caught and arrested in connection with Destin’s death.
Destin Thompson’s funeral is later this month and will be held on his native island of Anguilla.
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