Kendall Yarborough.Photo:DuPage County Sheriff’s Office
DuPage County Sheriff’s Office
A Florida man is accused of fatally shooting his half-brother on Christmas Day during a holiday visit in Illinois.
The suspect, identified as 28-year-old Kendall Yarborough of Palm Harbor, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder on Tuesday in connection with the shooting, which took place in a home in the Chicago suburb of Naperville, according to anews releasefrom the County of DuPage.
At approximately 3:06 p.m. on Monday, DuPage County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a call of a person who had been shot in a residence located on Wood Court. Upon arrival, officers found the victim, James Watson, inside the home with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
An investigation into the incident found that Watson, who was downstairs, was allegedly upset that he could not locate his cell phone. Police said Watson slammed a card table on the floor, prompting Yarborough, who was upstairs, to allegedly shoot down towards Watson, striking him in the abdomen, according to the release.
Family members immediately called 911 and attempted to render aid to Watson.
After searching the home, officers found a 9-mm Sig Sauer P-365X handgun and a single spent 9-mm bullet casing. Yarborough was subsequently taken into custody at the residence without incident.
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DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin called the Christmas shooting incident “a senseless act of violence.”
“On Christmas day, James Watson lost his life after his half-brother, Kendall Yarborough, allegedly shot him in the abdomen while James was looking for his cell phone,” Berlin alleged in a statement. “This senseless act of violence will not go unpunished. To James’ family and friends, I offer my sincere condolences and wish them strength as they mourn the loss of a family member and come to terms with another family member accused of his murder."
DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick added in a statement of his own, “It is horrible that a tragedy occurred on Christmas. It goes to show that domestic violence can occur in any home.”
During a court appearance on Tuesday, the presiding judge granted Yarborough’s request to continue his pre-trial detention hearing until Wednesday.
It’s not immediately clear if Yarborough has retained an attorney.
source: people.com
