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19-Year-Old Man Arrested In Weekend Death

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By LISA A. DAVIS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 15, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - A 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection to the shooting death of Jose Godineaux, 22. Godineaux was shot once in the head about 7 p.m. Friday in the St. James Street apartment he shared with his girlfriend. He was flown to a St. Petersburg hospital and pronounced dead Saturday morning.

Tuesday night, New Port Richey police Detective Randy Murphy arrested Torrence Bates of 4539 Weasel Drive on a first-degree murder charge.

Tips in the case led police to Bates, according to his arrest affidavit. Murphy questioned him, and Bates said he went to Godineaux's home at 5450 St. James Drive to buy cocaine, the affidavit states.

When he went into the bedroom, Godineaux pointed a gun at him, so Bates pulled out his and it fired, according to the affidavit.

Bates was already in jail when Murphy got to him. Another officer had arrested Bates on Saturday on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and grand theft of a firearm.

At 2:15 p.m. Saturday, police went to a condominium at 6606 Kentucky Ave. to check on a complaint about an unwanted guest. Police encountered Bates outside, searched the condo and found a .38-caliber revolver that witnesses said belonged to him, an affidavit states.

Bates told an officer he took the handgun from beneath the seat of a gray Chevy Cavalier somewhere in Pasco County, the report states.

Bates has a felony conviction as a juvenile on a burglary charge, records show.

He was being held without bail Wednesday at the Land O' Lakes Jail.

Godineaux's criminal record included an arrest by Pasco deputies last year on charges related to drugs and filing a false application for a driver's license. He was also arrested on an Essex County, N.J., warrant on suspicion of selling drugs within a school area in 2004.

Reporter Lisa A. Davis can be reached at (727) 815-1083 or ldavis@tampatrib.com.

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