Courtesy photo / Reckless gun play led to the Tuesday arrest of 20-year-old New Smyrna Beach resident Marcus White in his father's June 7 shooting death, a complete change of story over what he initially described as an accidental shooting, according to Sheriff's investigators.
SAMSULA -- Scared that an intruder was trying to break into his family's camper, 20-year-old Marcus White initially said he armed himself for protection with a pistol that accidentally discharged and killed his father earlier this month. But during a follow-up interview with Volusia County Sheriff's investigators, a different story emerged and the son was charged with manslaughter.
"White told investigators that he lied about a possible intruder and instead was playing with the gun out of curiosity when he inadvertently fired the fatal shot into his father's back," Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said.
"White told investigators that he lied about a possible intruder and instead was playing with the gun out of curiosity when he inadvertently fired the fatal shot into his father's back," Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said.
Based on the follow-up investigation and White's admission, the June 7 killing inside a camper in Samsula was determined to be the result of White's negligent handling of the gun, Davidson said. After consulting with prosecutors at the State Attorney's Office about the change of story, the decision was made to charge White with manslaughter, a second-degree felony, he added.
The shooting occurred in a rural area of the county, on Alligator Ranch Road off of State Road 415.