Two state witnesses in a Lee County second-degree murder who have admitted having past relationships with the defense attorney led the state to file a motion.
The motion to inquire regarding potential conflict arose in the case involving Dexter Thomas, 41, of Fort Myers, charged with second-degree murder, first-degree burglary with assault or battery and conspiracy to commit first-degree burglary.
Thomas, represented by Sebouh Gourjian, “does not believe there is not a conflict,” court records indicate.
Court documents did not indicate the nature of the relationship or any other details.
Gourjian answered a call Wednesday afternoon, but said he wouldn’t be able to comment until Friday morning.
He’s next due in court for a May 2 pretrial conference, followed by a May 9 motions hearing.
He’s one of three accused in a robbery that ended with a death more than eight years ago.
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On Feb. 21, 2015, deputies responded to the 4000 block of Centennial Boulevard, where they found Luis Enrique Vazquez-Ocasio, 36, with a gunshot wound. Vazquez-Ocasio later died.
Detectives learned that a trio of suspects entered the home to rob Vazquez-Ocasio and fatally shot him.
Tiphanie Dawn Sager, 30, of Cape Coral, was the first to be arrested. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said she organized the Lehigh Acres crime.
Sager entered a guilty plea with the state in September 2020, Lee County Circuit Court records show. Under the deal, Sager would serve up to nine years in state prison and up to six years of probation, according to the document filed with the court.
The third co-defendant, Antonio Crews, 32, of Cape Coral, was arrested in September 2020 by the Fugitive Warrants Task Force. He faces charges of second-degree murder; first-degree burglary; and conspiracy to commit first-degree burglary with an assault or battery conspiracy.
Crews has a pretrial conference scheduled May 2.
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers murder case: Witnesses in 2015 slaying know defense lawyer
