PORT ST. LUCIE — The acts that led to Melanie Henningsen’s death stemmed from “drug trafficking,” though police don’t know what, if any, involvement she had in the illegal activity, a spokesman said Tuesday.

Emergency officials were called early Sunday morning by Henningsen’s boyfriend, Jose Ortiz, who found Henningsen with a fatal gunshot wound at their home in the 6100 block of Northwest Duke Circle, said Officer Tom Nichols, police spokesman.

Those were among the new details in the case released Tuesday by police as their investigation of the city’s first homicide of the year continues. (more…)

FORT PIERCE — Two co-defendants arrested in the Kobie Gary marijuana growing case were sentenced Monday in U.S. District Court.

David Jeffrey Grant of Jensen Beach was sentenced to five years in prison followed by four years’ supervised release, and Steven Shepherd of Hobe Sound was sentenced to 15 months in prison followed by three years’ supervised release, both after pleading guilty to similar charges of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute 100 or more marijuana plants.

Grant was arrested in December after authorities matched his fingerprints to light tubes found in a Hobe Sound house that were part of a lighting system used to grow pot plants. Shepherd and Gary, 30, the son of prominent Stuart attorney Willie Gary, were arrested Oct. 27 at the same house.

Gary pleaded guilty in January to a similar charge of conspiracy to grow and distribute marijuana as part of a deal in which federal prosecutors agreed to dismiss two charges related to maintaining a place to cultivate, possess and distribute more than 100 pot plants.

He faces at least five years in prison when he’s sentenced April 7 in Miami by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore, who sentenced Grant and Shepherd.

Gary’s attorney, Richard Kibbey has filed paperwork claiming his client was singled out for prosecution and has said he’ll ask for a “safety valve exception” that would allow a shorter prison term by showing Gary wasn’t a ringleader or used guns in the offenses.

FORT PIERCE — Sharpkina Yolanda Woods was an outgoing mother of five, a Miami native who enjoyed laughing and talking and taking her kids fishing.

That’s how family members Tuesday described the 35-year-old woman who was found dead Sunday afternoon with her 21-year-old boyfriend, Travis John Lattimore. Lattimore, who has a lengthy arrest record, was wanted in connection with a Feb. 8 homicide in Miami.

“I’m still in shock myself,” said Jimmy Ware, Woods’ 37-year-old brother. “I have no kind of idea who would do this or why.”
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FORT PIERCE — Two local men were arrested after St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office investigators on Wednesday stopped their sport utility vehicle and turned up marijuana and a loaded rifle, according to affidavits released Thursday.

A deputy traveling on North 25th Street about 11:10 a.m. Wednesday spotted a silver Pontiac SUV that turned onto Delaware Avenue. The SUV appeared to have illegal window tint and a sticker that was obscured on the tag. The SUV “rolled through” a stop sign and the deputy began trying to stop the vehicle. (more…)

PORT ST. LUCIE — Jordan Shay Karpinski, an unemployed, 19-year-old man used his dad’s money to purchase drugs rather than the computer equipment his father asked him to buy, according to police records.

So, Karpinski, of the 1200 block of Southeast Cambridge Road, told police Monday night that he’d been robbed at knifepoint by an “unknown subject” and “Mike,” police said.

Karpinski gave investigators a phone number for “Mike,” and police contacted him outside his home on Southeast Wake Road.
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Five Okeechobee County residents are facing a host of drug-related charges after authorities found marijuana and illegal prescription drugs in their possession, according to a news release from the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office.

About 9:20 p.m. Tuesday, sheriff’s deputies and Okeechobee Police officers searched a residence in the 4100 block of Southeast 74th Way and found about 251 grams of marijuana, 59 illegally obtained prescription pills, various drug paraphernalia and $2,000 in cash.
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FORT PIERCE — A local man was arrested after fleeing a deputy and bailing out of a Buick in which about 50 rocks of crack cocaine were found, according to an affidavit released Wednesday.

Eliezer Geneus, 22, faces charges including cocaine possession with intent to sell, driving while license suspended habitual offender and obstruction without violence following the Tuesday incident. (more…)

PORT ST. LUCIE — A 34-year-old Port St. Lucie man was arrested Friday and charged with six felonies and misdemeanors after kicking officers and chewing a plastic bag with heroin, according to the St. Lucie County arrest affidavit.

Rodney Gener Delphin of the 400 block of Southeast Walter Terrace, was charged with felony trafficking in opium or derivative more than 4 grams, felony tampering with evidence, two counts of felony resisting arrest with violence and two misdemeanors of resisting arrest without violence.
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INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Authorities announced Monday they made three arrests after three Storm Grove Middle School students were hospitalized when they became ill from snorting crushed Roxycodone pain pills and using other drugs.

The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office said one of the sick students, a 13-year-old girl, named students at the school who were providing prescription drugs and marijuana to her and others, Sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Jeff Luther said.

The Sheriff’s Office charged Halee Marie Webb, 14, of the 100 block of Harris Drive, Sebastian, and Jacob Scott Martin, 13, of the 100 block of Midvale Terrace, Sebastian, each with felony distribution of a controlled substance. Another 13-year-old girl had a juvenile affidavit filed against her for misdemeanor possession of marijuana, Luther said.
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