Two Green Cove Springs men were arrested early Friday, charged in the fatal shooting of a man in the doorway of his Clay County apartment two weeks ago.
Amos Blount Jr., 45, and Dominic Dontay Tinney, 19, both of Green Cove Springs, were arrested by the Clay County Sheriff's Office, both charged in the murder of Tereso Lopez Morente.
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Investigators believe Blount and Tinney intended to rob Morente as he stood on his front door step at the St. Johns Landing Apartments on April 14.
Detectives said Morente was talking by phone with his wife in Guatemala at the time, and information he gave his wife as two men approached was very helpful in identifying the attackers.
"I am very pleased that these suspects, especially Blount, an 11-time convicted felon, are off the streets before they can hurt someone else," Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler said.
Beseler said the investigation was complicated due the language barrier between the victim?s family and witnesses, who speak only Spanish. A bilingual officer, Adriana Valencia Smith, was reassigned from her normal duties as a school resource officer to assist with the investigation.
Jacksonville Sheriff?s Officer homicide investigator, Moe Parales, also fluent in Spanish, assisted in interviews with witnesses.
Crimestoppers posters were printed in Spanish and a special hot line for Spanish speakers was set during the investigation.
The suspects were booked into the Clay County Jail, charged with robbery and an open count of murder.
Previous Stories:
- April 18, 2006: Clay Sheriff Reaches Out To Hispanic Community After Homicide
- April 16, 2006: Man Shot, Killed Just Outside His Green Cove Springs Apartment