Local News
Five in Doty case to appear in court
Gary Pinnell | Highlands Today
Published: February 17, 2013
SEBRING - Five of the six defendants in the Aaron Doty murder case will be in court Wednesday and Thursday for pretrial conferences. A judge will decide if prosecutors and defense attorneys are ready for trial.Published: February 17, 2013
The state alleges that on June 9, Kenneth Felipe, 19, and Jonathan Rodriquez, 22, both of 5504 Granada Blvd., picked a fight with Aaron Doty, 20. Afterward, they dragged his unconscious body outside and then took what they believed was his dead body to a nearby woods and set him on fire.
However, a medical examiner later determined Doty was still alive when set on fire. He was found dead west of Sun 'n Lake.
The first of the six defendants scheduled back in court is Giovanni Burgos. Detective Barbara Hair's affidavit asserted that Felipe and Rodriguez needed a place to hide, so they contacted Felipe's cousin, who offered his Orlando apartment.
U.S. Marshals traced Felipe and Rodriguez. Burgos is out on $3,000 bond.
Travis Makris is also scheduled for a pretrial conference at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. Makris agreed to keep a bag of clothes and a pair of sneakers for the accused murderers. He was charged with accessory after the fact. He is also out on $2,000 bond and is represented by William Fletcher.
Nicole Hebert, Felipe's girlfriend, drove the two accused murderers to Burgos' apartment. She was charged with accessory after the fact. Her pretrial conference is set for 1:15 p.m. Wednesday. She is represented by Robin H. Stevenson and has been held in jail since she was arrested.
On Thursday, Rodriguez and Felipe will appear at 8:30 a.m. Both remain in Highlands County Jail on charges of first-degree murder, abuse of a body and tampering with physical evidence. Rodriguez is represented by Assistant Public Defender Robert H. Gray. Felipe is represented by Shirley Whitsitt and Byron P. Hileman.
Adriana Rodriguez is scheduled to reappear at 1:15 p.m. March 30. Adriana Rodriguez, who is not related to Jonathan Rodriguez, is accused of cleaning the blood evidence at Jonathan Rodriguez and Felipe's apartment. She is represented by James Headley and is out on $2,500 bond.