Plant City, FL (December 27, 2018) – Police say that an 82-year-old man who has been feuding with his son for years fatally shot him in the torso during an argument on Tuesday night, December 25th, Christmas night.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded to an incident at 2727 South Forbes Road on Christmas night when someone called 911 and said that 82-year-old Guy Vickery shot his son after an argument. The son has been identified as 50-year-old Benjamin Vickery.
Guy Vickery told police that he fired the fatal shot. The Sheriff’s Office arrested him at around 5:45 am on Wednesday morning on charges of manslaughter with a weapon, which is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Benjamin Vickery was taken to the hospital where he died as a result of the gunshot. The incident that led to the shooting took place just before 9:30 pm on Christmas night. A witness in the home said that an argument ensued between the victim and his father. The witness claims that Guy Vickery went up the stairs of the home to get his gun while Benjamin Vickery ran to a room at the back of the home while saying that his father was armed with a gun. That's when the witness heard a gunshot and discovered Benjamin laid out on the ground suffering from a gunshot to his torso. The nature of the argument has not been made public at this time.
Back in the year 2000, Guy Vickery shot his son in the shoulder during a fight with a .45 caliber weapon. That incident involved Benjamin assaulting his father while he sat in his car. The then 63-year-old father pulled out his gun and shot his 31-year-old son. Guy Vickery was not charged in that incident because he acted in self-defense.
Plant City Manslaughter Laws
Manslaughter with a weapon is known as a first-degree felony in Florida, which means that you might be facing some frightening charges as you navigate the legal system and attempt to protect your rights. You don’t want to spend the remainder of your life in prison or paying fines that you won’t be able to afford, which is why you might find that working with an experienced defense attorney is one of your best options at this time.
Violent crimes in Florida are seen as those that are intentionally aggressive in nature. If you attempt to inflict physical harm on another person, you could be facing some of the harshest penalties. Given the nature of violent crimes, it is possible that the judge in your case might try to err on the side of the plaintiff because they don’t have the full story in front of them, which is why you will need a defense attorney to tell your side and build you a defense that will help you retain your rights and protections under Florida law. Being charged with a weapon crime that ends in a fatality can be an intimidating time, but you are not alone. Contact us today at Musca Law for more information on how our attorneys can help in your time of need at (888) 484-5057.