INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A package containing a bullet fragment that tore through Christard Hicks’ abdomen – piercing his stomach, liver, heart and lung – was presented during the second day of the Jamal Riggins Jr.’s murder trial. It was among a series of evidence packages containing more bullet pieces, shell casings and DNA samples left behind at a drive-by shooting five years ago in Gifford.
“The left side of Hicks’ (torso) was the entrance wound and the right side was the exit wound,” Medical Examiner Adrienne Sauder said on the stand Wednesday as jurors quietly looked at graphic photos of the injuries. “The projectile traveled left-to-right, front-to-back and upward.”
Now, prosecutors are tasked with proving the bullet that struck Hicks came from a rifle fired by Riggins, who witnesses identified in court as the shooter. Defense attorneys argued that the shooting led to crossfire with another man firing back at the gunman in self-defense.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Bill Long and Felicia Holloman, while Defense Attorney Adrienne Bucchi represented Riggins. The trial was expected to last through Friday.
Riggins was indicted by the grand jury in July 2018 on charges including first-degree murder with a firearm, attempted first-degree murder, four counts of attempted second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted, Riggins could face the maximum sentence of life in prison, Long said.
Hicks – a 19-year-old Fort Pierce teen focused on a dream of playing Major League Baseball – was standing with a group of friends when he was shot the afternoon of April 20, 2018 outside of a home in the 4400 block of 25th Avenue in Gifford. Riggins, a former Sebastian River High School football standout, denied being involved, but also told a friend that “Christard was never the target,” court records show.
Indian River County Sheriff’s Deputies learned that Riggins and Hicks’ friend, Quinten Jones, got into an argument on 33rd Avenue about 30 minutes before gunfire. Riggins asked Jones where he would be later.
Jones had traveled with Hicks, his cousin Maxina Timothee and more friends to the residence on 25th Avenue for a gathering. Then, a black Chrysler rolled by with someone firing shots from the vehicle, fatally striking Hicks, witnesses said.
Evidence
Prosecutors spoke to crime scene investigators, detectives, a medical examiner, latent print examiner, firearm examiner and a forensic science specialist. Attorneys also showed photos of the shooting aftermath – including Hicks’ bloodied-stained shirt – along with several bullet holes that pierced the home.
Sauder said Hicks’ cause of death was a gunshot wound to the torso.
On Wednesday, Det. Daniel Rosario said there were rifle casings found in the street, while pistol casings were found by the house. “It appears shots were coming into the residence,” Rosario said on the stand.
Witnesses said Riggins – who has pled not guilty in the case – was in the front-passenger seat of the Chrysler when he pulled a black beanie over his face, pointed an assault rifle and fired several shots toward the home.
Prosecutors on Tuesday read a transcript from Jones’ grand jury testimony where he said he shot back at the gunman in self-defense because he feared for his life.
It was unclear if the firearm Jones used was recovered after the shooting.
Deputies previously said they found a loaded Ruger 5.56-caliber rifle in the trunk of the Chrysler driven by Riggins’ older cousin Dominique Riggins. Inside the vehicle, deputies also found a receipt for a purchased Kel-Tec .223-caliber rifle from Indian River Sportsman shooting range.
The Kel-Tec rifle – which prosecutors believe was used by Riggins – still hasn’t been found. Deputies previously said there were .223 rifle rounds and projectiles found on the ground and walls of the home.
Mark Chapman, a firearms examiner with Indian River Crime Lab, also took the stand Wednesday. Chapman said he inspected several .223 Remington rifle cartridges from the crime scene.
Though some handguns and rifles are able to fire the same cartridge, Chapman said the .223 cartridge would not fit into a 9 mm pistol. Deputies said Riggins and Dominique Riggins spoke by phone twice right before the shooting and once afterwards.
The trial will resume at 9 a.m. Thursday. Closing arguments were expected to take place Friday morning.
