WINTER HAVEN -- Polk Sheriff Grady Judd says it's a case of a series of bad decisions all around, at the intersection of guns, drugs and gangs.
Deputies have made four arrests in the shooting death of a 15-year-old whose body was left on a driveway in Winter Haven last Tuesday.
Judd says Quashawn Burgess Junior was shot to death while trying to rob a woman who lives nearby and illegally bought a stolen gun from Burgess' friend. The gun previously belonged to the city of Lakeland. Judd says Burgess opened a car door as Gonzalez and Harris were talking. According to Judd, Gonzalez took the gun out of her pocket and shot Burgess. She went back into her house and Harris took off, according to Judd.
The friend, 20-year-old Rashan Harris II, is charged with second-degree murder, as well as attempted armed robbery, conspiracy, dealing in stolen property, grand theft, evidence tampering, unlawful use of a communications device, lying to police, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and violating probation. Harris served time in the Polk County Jail, getting released in January.
The sheriff believes Gonzalez shot in self-defense, but that doesn't mean she's off the hook. She's accused of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, as well as dealing in stolen property, evidence tampering, grand theft, cocaine and marijuana possession, maintaining a "drug house" and possessing paraphernalia.
20-year-old Rashan Harris is charged with second degree murder, while Lilia Gonzalez is accused of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon, as well as trading in stolen property. Two other men are facing related charges. Judd says 22-year-old Jase Govia gave Gonzalez contact information to set up the gun buy with Harris. He's also facing several charges for selling drugs out of a home near Gonzalez in the St. Paul area of unincorporated Winter Haven. 34-year-old Pierre Sauveur faces drug charges as well as a charge of lying to police. Neither Govia nor Sauveur were present at the time of the shooting.
Judd says Burgess was picked up by Harris at his Bartow home to go buy some "weed", after which they met up with Gonzalez, leading up to the fatal shooting.
Photo: PCSO/Canva