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ORANGE COUNTY, Florida (WESH) -- The family of a veteran who was tragically shot and killed following a parking lot dispute was relieved to hear about an arrest in the case. However, they were disheartened to discover that the suspect has since been released on bond.
Ocoee police arrested Kendrick Anderson, 27, for the November 2023 killing of Army veteran Gregory Reed, 60, following a year-long investigation.
"I was like finally, like finally something," said Deidre Anderson, the victim's daughter.
The arrest was a step toward justice for the victim's family with a suspect sitting in jail. But Anderson was released a week later on a $50,000 bond.
"I am terrified – number one and devastated because, according to what I've known, Ocoee police has did the work they were supposed to do, but apparently, it wasn't enough to keep a murderer off the streets," Anderson said.
Mark O'Mara, a defense attorney, said the victim's family would be upset at anything other than detention, which is understandable.
But O'Mara points out that other than cases where a defendant is a clear danger to the community, or facing a severe sentence which may lead them to disappear, bond is legally required.
A bond is set at a certain level to assure a defendant will show up for their day in court.
"I think he got a correct bond amount, enough to address the significance of the charges and, more importantly, to make sure he shows up in court," O'Mara said.
O'Mara pointed to an alleged crime of escalating anger, not a plan to kill.
"Quite honestly, it was a horrible situation that was properly shown as 2nd degree, of the moment, no pre-planning, which is sad because somebody died, but it not the basis for pre-trial detention, based on our statutes," he said.
But for the surviving family, it was not what they wanted.
"And now he's out. And I'm terrified," Anderson said.
We asked the state attorney's office why it didn't request pre-trial detention.
In an email, a spokesperson said they didn't have legal reasons sufficient to request Anderson stay locked up without bond and that right now, there's insufficient evidence to file formal charges.
