MIDDLEBURG, Fla. – A 14-year-old, who is charged with murder in the shooting death of his parents in Clay County, appeared in court on Tuesday for his arraignment.
Trevor Lee pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting death of David Lee, 44, and Brandi Smith, 45.
Lee was arrested on Aug. 4 after he called 911 to say he had killed his parents, Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook said.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office released Lee’s arrest report, mug shot and 911 call. The report and phone call were both heavily redacted to protect the investigation and any future prosecution. Any statements the teenager made that might incriminate him can’t be released until a trial.
David Lee, 44, and Brandi Smith, 45, were found dead in the bedroom of their home in the area of Silver Point and County Road 220 in Middleburg, according to Trevor Lee’s arrest report. Both had been shot multiple times, and “several spent shell casings” were found in the bedroom, the report said.
Cook said it appears Trevor Lee got into an argument with his parents the night before that ended in the deadly shooting. The weapon, which is believed to belong to the couple, was found in the home, Cook said.
The 911 dispatcher remained on the phone with Trevor Lee until the Sheriff’s Office units arrived at the church. She encouraged him to tell the investigators what happened.
She can be heard telling a nervous Trevor that the deputies had been asked not to point guns at him when they got to the church.
“Take a deep breath because they’re going to come up and talk to you, so you need to be listening for them, OK?” the dispatcher says.
“Yes, ma’am,” Trevor responds.
Earlier in the call, Trevor told the dispatcher he needed to pray before deputies arrived, and then he asked her to pray for him.
“I was gonna ask if you could pray for me, ma’am,” Trevor says.
“I’ll definitely be praying for you, son,” she replies.
The arrest report said Trevor Lee was taken into custody in the parking lot of the church without incident. He was later taken to Duval County’s Juvenile Detention Center. Clay County does not have a juvenile wing in its jail.
‘They had a good day’
In another 911 call released by the sheriff’s office, a woman who News4JAX has learned is Trevor Lee’s sister, tells the dispatcher that the couple had been shot.
She said she is out in California in the military and asks the dispatcher to send help “immediately.”
“I don’t have anyone else, please,” she says.
She said she didn’t know where the teenager was, but that the couple were in the house.
“Why me?” she says through tears. “They had a good day. They went to the movies.”
News4JAX spoke to someone who said they are one of Trevor Lee’s best friends, and they had just graduated from Lakeside Junior High School together and were about to start at Fleming Island High School next week.
Lee’s pre-trial hearing was scheduled for Sept. 30 at 9 a.m.