This morning Freddie Allen Harris, 51, was sentenced to life in prison for Second Degree Murder, five years in prison for Child Abuse and credit time served for two counts of Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer. A jury found him guilty late yesterday evening following a two day trial in Lee County. He was sentenced as a prison releasee re-offender.
In November 2017 the defendant stabbed the victim, his girlfriend, 22 times as she lay in bed at a home in Fort Myers while the victim’s young child was in bed beside her. A teenager of the victim who was also in the house called 911. The victim died in the house from the attack.
After the stabbing Harris took a rifle from the hall closet and went outside to wait for police to arrive. When officers arrived on scene, Harris pointed the rifle at them. In fear for their safety, the officers fired their weapons at the defendant. He did not get hit and ran away. After a brief period of time Harris returned to the front of the house still armed with the rifle and positioned himself behind a car in the driveway. After approximately 45 minutes of negotiating with the defendant, he put down the firearm and was taken into custody. The children and others in the house exited safely.
Assistant State Attorney Francine Donnorummo, Chief of the Special Victims Unit and Assistant State Attorney Andreas Gardiner of our Homicide Unit Handled the case.
Samantha Syoen
Communications Director
State Attorney’s Office
ssyoen@sao20.org
239-533-1125