TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

3rd Arrest Made In Fatal Stabbing Near Ybor

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOSH POLTILOVE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 4, 2007

Updated: 12/04/2007 04:59 pm

TAMPA - TAMPA - Nearly two months after Kenny Love Washington's stabbing death, a third suspect has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

Lamar Coffey, 24, was arrested at a Charleston, S.C., detention center Monday on charges of first-degree murder and felony attempted armed robbery.

Washington was found stabbed to death Oct. 12, hours after he arrived in Tampa. He had been seeking a new start after a stint in prison.

"Apparently they're still looking at how many other people were involved, so this is still technically an active case," Tampa police Cpl. Jared Douds said.

The other people charged with first-degree murder in the case are 20-year-old Rahim Ra of Tampa and 26-year-old Devon LaVelle Batiste of Orlando, Douds said.

Coffey and Washington were roommates a week before the slaying.

Washington was stabbed multiple times Oct. 11 or 12 in a building just north of Ybor City, according to an arrest affidavit. He had been staying at the building about seven hours when he was found dead.

Batiste was arrested about two weeks later and remains held without bail at Orient Road Jail. Batiste is charged with first-degree murder and felony robbery.

Ra also recently was arrested on the murder charge and remains in Falkenburg Road Jail with no bail set.

When Coffey and Batiste arrived at a church about 11 p.m. Oct. 11, Coffey had a severe cut to his right index finger and Batiste had two bite marks on his right hand, an arrest affidavit states. They said they were injured in a fight, according to the affidavit.

A witness said Batiste told him he was bitten while attempting a robbery, the affidavit states.

Washington's friend allowed him to sleep on a sofa in a two-story mixed-use building Oct. 11, trying to help the former inmate turn his life around.

Public records show Washington, 43, was on community supervision until 2010 for felony driving with a suspended or revoked license.

Florida Department of Corrections records show Washington had been in and out of state prisons since 1984. His convictions include a Seminole County second-degree attempted murder charge and charges in Orange County, including felony battery, aggravated assault with a weapon and felony cocaine possession.

Coffey also was arrested on a separate charge of first-degree murder, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office's Web site. No information on that charge was immediately available.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT