An 18 year-old Winter Haven man has been arrested in the shooting death of 17 year-old Antonius Devon Sincere Winston-Fulton.
Devonta Tremaine Washington, Jr. was arrested on Tuesday (1-28-25) and charged with Second Degree Murder.
It should be noted that this is an unedited report of facts by Winter Haven Police Department. These facts are up for question and everyone is entitled to question the validity of facts by law enforcement in a court of law. Winter Haven Daily does not rewrite these facts as some meanings or interpretations could be in error and change context. We hope readers appreciate being able to read the information and come to your own conclusion.
“On January 27, 2025, at 1315 hours, the Winter Haven Police Department responded to a dangerous shooting at [REDACTED]. Multiple 9-1-1 calls for service were made, which the information included a person was shot and lying on the ground deceased. Other information included a silver Kia Soul fled the scene and may have been involved in the shooting. Officers arrived on scene and located a black male lying on the ground, obviously deceased with multiple apparent gunshot wounds. Emergency Medical Services arrived to the scene and assessed the patient advising time of death.
The deceased male was positively identified as Antonius Devon Sincere Winston-Fulton, and a law enforcement Be On the Look Out (BOLO) was issued (via dispatch) in reference to the Kia Sol that had fled the scene.
A few moments later, another 9-1-1 call was received indicating that his [REDACTED] was involved in a shooting and drove himself to a walk-in clinic in Dundee, Florida. The 9-1-1 caller advised his [REDACTED] had a head injury and he observed two (2) firearms inside the vehicle. Winter Haven police officers and detectives arrived to Dundee and located the vehicle making contact with two male occupants. The two male occupants inside the vehicle were identified as Christian Xavier Rodriguez and Trenton Tyerik Stewart.
Inside the vehicle in plain view was a firearm on the driver’s side floorboard of the Kia Soul. Rodriguez was unable to provide a statement to law enforcement but had an obvious head wound and a large amount of blood coming from that said wound. Emergency Medical Services was requested, which Rodriguez was transported to Winter Haven Hospital located at 200 Avenue F Northwest, Winter Haven, Florida. Detective Shook (W597) conducted a sworn interview with Stewart.
During Stewart’s interview, he and Rodriguez were in the Kia Soul (Florida Tag: CDS1CN) and drove to Abbey Lane Apartments to meet with two black males. They were supposed to meet with them to purchase a cellphone.
Stewart advised he was the front passenger and Rodriguez was the driver for the entire transaction. Stewart advised the two black males sat in the rear of the Kia Soul.
During the meeting, the driver’s side rear passenger, later identified as the decedent, Antonius Devon Sincere Winston-Fulton, took Rodriguez’s phone from his possession and pistol-whipped him on his head with a firearm.
Stewart advised Rodriguez had to shoot the decedent after being pistol-whipped. Next he and Rodriguez re-entered the Kia Soul and drove to the walk-in clinic in Dundee, Florida. Based on the circumstances provided by Stewart, the decedent and the defendant were participating in an armed robbery against Rodriguez.
An interview was attempted with Rodriguez at the Winter Haven Hospital. However, his [REDACTED], retained an attorney; therefore, no further questions took place.
Upon arriving to the crime scene, detectives were able to locate video surveillance camera within approximately twenty (20) feet from where the victim was lying. With the permission of the property manager, the video footage was reviewed and collected by Detective Jackson (W638).
Video footage revealed at 1303 hours, Rodriguez and Stewart arrived in the Kia Soul at the Abbey Lane Apartment Complex, which they back into a parking space. Simultaneously, two black males exited apartment and walked to the Kia Soul. Both males got into the rear of the Kia Sol. The two black males were later positively identified as the decedent and the defendant, Devonta Tremaine Washington Jr (B/M; DOB: 03/13/2006).
On the video footage, the decedent entered the rear driver’s side of the vehicle while Washington entered the rear passenger side of the Kia Soul. At approximately 1313 hours, the Kia Soul left the parking lot, which none of the parties were observed exiting the vehicle. The vehicle traveled approximately twenty (20) yards before driving over a curb and parking in the grass. The vehicle stopped in the same location where the decedent was found on the ground by law enforcement approximately twenty (20) feet from those video surveillance cameras.
Through the windshield of the vehicle, video footage showed the driver, Rodriquez, in an apparent struggle inside the vehicle. Rodriguez opened the door and began exiting his vehicle while a male from the backseat positively identified as the decedent was pointing a black firearm at his ribeage/stomach area holding a black firearm in his right hand and was also grabbing Rodriguez’s person with his left hand. The video showed the front passenger, Stewart, grabbing a hold of the decedent’s right arm that held the firearm in an apparent effort to prevent Rodriguez from being shot.
As Rodriguez got out of the car, he stumbled out, and a black firearm could be seen in his left hand. Rodriguez transitioned the firearm to his right hand and ran around the back end of his vehicle opening the rear passenger door. Simultaneously, the defendant was observed crawling over the backseat, over the center console, and out of the driver’s side open door. The defendant stumbled to the ground and fled the scene on foot. As Rodriguez opened the rear passenger door, the video footage captured him using the firearm firing five (5) times into the backseat area of the vehicle at the decedent. As this was happening, Rodriguez can be observed with a substantial head wound and bleeding profusely.
Video footage then showed Rodriguez run back to the driver’s side of the car and opened the rear door to pull the decedent out of the car onto the ground. Rodriguez and Stewart got into the Kia Soul and drove from the incident location. The decedent was left lying on the lawn for law enforcement and first responders to find.
Further video footage was collected in the neighborhood directly behind Abbey Lane Apartment Complex and it captured Washington running through yards and streets. The camera also audibly captured Washington on a cellphone possibly mentioning to the person on the phone something about a firearm. The audio also captured possibly the sound of a magazine or firearm falling onto the ground, which Washington picked up and continued to flee.
Detectives made contact with apartment and learned that Washington was the person seen running from the Kia Soul as well as the person speaking on a phone about a gun running through yards in the neighborhood behind the complex. Contact was made with Washington (via cellphone), which he agreed to meet with detectives today, January 28, 2025 at 1000 hours. At approximately 1138 hours, Washington voluntarily arrived to the Winter Haven Police Department to provide a statement.
Detective Shook (W597) and Detective Orphee (W615) met up with Washington, who they thanked for coming to the police department on his own recognizance and willingly provide a statement. During Washington’s voluntary statement, he confirmed that he was present for the shooting that occurred on January 27, 2025 at approximately 1313 hours. Washington went on to advise that he was with the decedent and was informed that the decedent would meeting Rodriguez for cannabis at the Abbey Lane Apartment Complex.
Washington said he utilized his own cellphone to help in facilitating the meeting. Washington confirmed that he entered the Kia Soul, in which Rodriguez and Stewart were sitting in the front seat. Washington sat in the rear passenger side while the decedent sat in the rear driver’s side of the Kia Sol. Washington also stated that he had a Taurus firearm in his possession and the decedent had a Springfield firearm. Washington advised the decedent was “probably” going to rob Rodriguez and wanted Washington to come along in case anything bad were to happen. Based on this statement, Washington was aware an armed robbery was going to take place that involved two firearms.
While in the backseat, Washington and the decedent wanted to switch firearms amongst themselves. Washington gave the decedent the Taurus and in return, the decedent gave Washington the Springfield firearm. Washington advised the decedent then racked the slide of Taurus handgun to make ready to fire with one (1) live round inside the chamber. Washington further stated that the decedent struck Rodriguez on the head with the Taurus handgun. Rodriguez drove the vehicle a short distance, as a struggle ensued. Washington said after Rodriguez got out of his car and due to the rear doors were locked, he exited the car through the front driver’s side door.
Washington also confirmed he fled the scene into a surrounding neighborhood and claimed to give the Springfield firearm to another individual. Washington also added that he had two magazines in his possession when he fled.
Later on January 27, 2025, a search warrant for the Kia Soul, registered to Santos, and the victim’s clothing were sought and granted by the Honorable Judge Griffin on January 27, 2025 at 1915 hours. During the execution of the search warrant for the Kia Soul, multiple items of evidence were collected to include: a cellphone, photographs, two .45 auto spent casings, a Taurus G2C 9mm handgun, a Glock 30.45 auto handgun, and DNA swabs for blood.
It should be noted that the Taurus had five (5) live rounds inside the magazine and one (1) live round inside the chamber. The Glock 30 had four (4) live rounds inside the magazine and one (1) live round inside the chamber.
Based on the evidence secured in the search warrant, the Taurus handgun found inside the Kia Soul was the same Taurus as described by Washington as the firearm used in the robbery by the decedent. The Glock 30 firearm is believed to have been used by Rodriguez, who shot and killed the decedent.
On January 28, 2025 at 0730 hours, an autopsy was performed at the District 10 Medical Examiner’s Office on the decedent, Antonius Devon Sincere Winston-Fulton. The autopsy confirmed the following gunshot wounds:
One entry wound to the back of the decedent’s head, one entry wound to his right temple, one entry wound to his right bicep, one entry wound to his right triceps, and one entry wound to his right upper shoulder area. One of the rounds that struck the decedent punctured both of his lungs and aorta causing him to bleed out. The preliminary cause of death was ruled to be gunshots to the right temple, the back of his head, and the lungs/aorta being punctured. The weapon is believed to have come from Rodriguez’s Glock 30.
Based on the sworn statements provided by the witness, Stewart, and the defendant, himself, probable cause exists in that Washington knowingly, willingly and actively participated in an armed robbery that resulted in the death of another human being, the decedent. There is also probable cause that Washington facilitated a meeting that involved a felony robbery by utilizing his cellphone. Furthermore, probable cause exists that Washington tampered with evidence by working to conceal and remove the Springfield handgun from his possession that he used during the commission of that robbery.
Washington is being charged with one (1) count of Second Degree Murder with a Weapon, one (1) count of Robbery with a Firearm, one (1) count of Unlawful Use of 2-Way Communication Device, and one (1) count of Tampering with Physical Evidence.”
