JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Police have charged a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old with murder in connection with the shooting death of a 57-year-old woman delivering pizzas to what turned out to be a vacant apartment in a Murray Hill neighborhood Friday night.
Police said Sarah Hotham was delivering for Domino's to a small apartment complex in the 1100 block of Comanch Street about 9:30 p.m. when she was shot in the chest. She was pronounced dead upon arrival at Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center.
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Police said the previous night only blocks away, someone stuck a gun in a pizza delivery man's stomach and demanded money. Nobody was hurt in that incident, but police believed the two incidents were related.
Getting cooperation from Domino's and working through the weekend in the neighborhood, police located the two teenagers, one of whom was carrying a concealed weapon. Police say they believe that gun was used to kill Hotham.
Jonathan Hartley, 15, was charged with murder and robbery. Keon Sams, 17, was charged with murder while committing a felony and carrying a concealed firearm.
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Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Lt. Larry Schmitt said that Hartley admitted both Thursday's robbery and Friday night's shooting and that Sams admitted to being involved in Thursday's robbery.
Police said Sams had to go home before Friday night's incident to meet his curfew, leaving Hartley the gun with an agreement that he spit any money and food he got from the robbery.
Police said the two lived only a few blocks from the crime scenes. In the first robbery, they took about $40 in cash and the food ordered. In Friday night's incident, nothing was taken.
"I don't think they even took any money," Schmitt said.
Police believe a third person may have been involved in the robberies and another arrest is possible. Because it is an ongoing investigation, the arrested teens' mug shots were not released.
Friends of Hotham remained in shock Monday. A long-time neighbor described Hotham as a workaholic who was just trying to make ends meet.
"When they told me she passed, I though maybe from a heart attack or something, but never murder," said Mary Frost.