South Florida Criminal Attorneys Blog
It was a pleasant South Florida night in December with temperatures hovering in the low seventies when two teenage Fort Lauderdale area brothers allegedly decided to carry out a robbery.
Kobe and Rondrick McLemore are accused of the shooting death of Dwight Higgins Jr. which took place last month at approximately 7:30 in the evening. Higgins was found by police lying on the ground on the outside portion of a fence by the Lauderhill Point Apartment Complex in East Central Fort Lauderdale.
Kobe was taken into custody as he left his home pushing a baby stroller while Rondrick was apprehended shortly after when he was seen by police entering a convenience store not far from the same residence the two men shared at the time of the apprehensions. Rondrick was arrested as he exited the store. They were both taken into custody without further incident earlier this month (January 2019).
Police had been staking out several addresses where the men were understood to be staying after several witnesses identified them by picking both of them out of a photo array.
At least one of the multiple witnesses who allegedly saw the McLemore brothers chasing the victim made the 911 call to police emergency who found Higgins shot multiple times and badly bleeding profusely as he was repeatedly bellowing, “I can’t breathe”.
He was rushed to Broward Health Medical Center where he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
Lauderhill police detectives who investigated the shooting were told that nine to twelve gunshots shattered the night as the brothers were chasing Mr. Higgins armed with handguns on the complex grounds. One individual being interviewed told police that the victim had a “look of terror” on his face as he gripped his side in obvious pain after he ran toward said witness begging for help.
Apparently, events began to unfold quickly with many individuals close by the continuing action and others within earshot to the ongoing turmoil.
One person told detectives he overheard the brothers saying, “We are going to get him. We are going to rob him. They got money.” Another witness to the crime told police that she heard Rondrick say, “I’m going to kill this n*****.” She went on to say that he attempted to shoot the previously injured Higgins again, but his gun appeared to malfunction, so he made some modifications to the weapon, fired again and hit Higgins at least one more time.
Higgins was riddled with gunshot wounds as the brothers took off in separate directions before police were able to arrive at the scene and begin their assessment, according to Lauderhill police reports.
After their arrests last week the two brothers were taken to the Broward County Jail where they are currently being held without bond.
A Grand jury returned a true bill indictment on January 17 and the brothers will be arraigned on Monday, January 28, 2019 on charges of capital murder. They will be represented by a public defender(s).
Two other men were also arrested in conjunction with the crime and are named in the indictment.
Deon Gray and C-Low Johnson are also listed as being charged with possession and discharge of a firearm in the attack. Exactly what their role was in the robbery/murder of Higgins has not been established at this time and the two men’s part in the crime has been less publicized, although they are both listed on the indictment.
Invocations of all the men’s Miranda rights were signed by all suspects on January 18th.
At this time a trial date has not been set but please check back as this article may be updated as further events unfold.
Michael B. Cohen is a Fort Lauderdale based Criminal Defense Attorney specializing in the defense of Homicides and all related cases.
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