DailyKenn.com | AbateHate.com | New Facebook Group
A 23-year-old black male faces first-degree murder charges after fatally shooting his girlfriend of two months during a heated argument over Christmas gifts at her home in this Brevard County community, authorities said.
The shooting unfolded Sunday afternoon, Nov. 16, in the 7000 block of Carlowe Avenue, a quiet residential area near Titusville. Lendzi Lakeman, 28, was found by deputies suffering from multiple gunshot wounds around 12:15 p.m. and was pronounced dead at the scene despite emergency efforts. Investigators determined the gunfire stemmed from a domestic dispute that escalated rapidly.
Your $8 monthly partner pledge helps us reach others & more ►
According to detectives, Tyjah Bellinger arrived at Lakeman's residence earlier that day after a disagreement intensified over gifts he had purchased for his young daughter from a previous relationship. The couple, who had been dating since September, had argued repeatedly about the presents, which Bellinger retrieved from the home in unwrapped boxes. Lakeman, who was pregnant with Bellinger's child, gathered his belongings and placed them in his blue Kia sedan as he prepared to leave.
A neighbor, alerted by the commotion, called 911 and reported hearing three initial shots ring out from the property. The witness described seeing Bellinger return to his vehicle, pull it into the attached garage, followed by three more bursts of gunfire that echoed through the neighborhood. "It sounded like fireworks at first, but then I saw him backing out fast," the caller told dispatchers, according to a recording reviewed by investigators.
Bellinger fled the scene in the Kia, prompting a multi-agency search. Surveillance footage and tips led deputies to track him first to his mother's house on the same street, where he briefly stopped to embrace his daughter and tell family members he loved them. He then drove to his uncle's nearby residence on Dallas Avenue, where he was taken into custody without resistance around 2 p.m. No other injuries were reported, and authorities described the incident as isolated with no broader threat to the public.
During questioning, Bellinger claimed the shooting was accidental, saying he tripped while holding a firearm as he approached Lakeman, causing it to discharge. Homicide investigators, however, classified the act as premeditated based on the number of shots fired and evidence recovered from the scene, including shell casings and the weapon. Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey emphasized the tragedy's domestic roots, urging residents to recognize warning signs in relationships. "This was a senseless loss of two lives — a mother-to-be and her unborn child," Ivey said in a statement. "We won't tolerate violence in our homes."
Lakeman's family, reached by phone Monday, expressed profound grief but declined immediate comment, focusing instead on funeral arrangements. Community members in Port St. John, a tight-knit suburb of about 12,000, gathered informally at a local park that evening to light candles in Lakeman's memory. "She was always smiling, helping with neighborhood barbecues," said one longtime resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "This shakes us all — you never think it happens here."
Bellinger, a Port St. John native with no prior criminal record, made his first court appearance Monday morning at the Brevard County Jail complex. He pleaded not guilty before Judge Jonathan Skinner, who denied bond and ordered him held pending arraignment on Dec. 11. Prosecutors indicated they would seek the maximum penalty, potentially life in prison, if convicted.
The Brevard County Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit continues to canvass for additional witnesses and evidence. Tips can be submitted anonymously to Agent Kevin Morris at 321-633-8413.
https://www.brevardsheriff.com/nr-25-15-arrest-made-in-port-st-john-homicide/ Fatal shooting of Brevard woman came after argument, investigators say
https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/crime/2025/11/18/fatal-shooting-of-brevard-woman-came-after-argument-investigators-say/87335183007/ Bond denied for Florida man accused of shooting, killing girlfriend
https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/brevard-county-man-charged-murder-of-girlfriend-shooting Suspect in custody after shooting investigation in Port St. John
https://www.wesh.com/article/suspect-custody-shooting-investigation-port-st-john/69449938 Man accused of fatally shooting girlfriend in Brevard County, sheriff says
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2025/11/16/suspect-in-custody-amid-brevard-shooting-investigation-sheriff-says/
Your $8 monthly partner pledge helps us reach others & more ►
Find archived black-on-white homicide news reports here ►
200 latest news reports from 100 top conservative websites