Nov. 15 update: The fourth suspect charged in connection with a shooting in Palm Coast’s LL Section on Nov. 4 surrendered to officials at the Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Daytona Beach last night, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office reported this morning. An arrest warrant had been issued for Raymond M. Spencer, 16, of Palm Coast in the days following the incident, charging him with principal to aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. He is currently being held at the Juvenile Justice facility where he awaits a court hearing.
The previous story is below.
3 Suspects Arrested in Trevor Blumenfeld’s Shooting in What Police Term a Pot Deal Gone Bad
November 8–The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested four people—two adults, two teenagers, all from Palm Coast—in Monday evening’s shooting of 19-year-old Trevor Blumenfeld on Llovera Place, as Blumenfeld was skateboarding. The sheriff’s investigation points to an attempt by the four to rob Blumenfeld of marijuana. The investigation portrays Blumenfeld, who remains in critical condition at Halifax hospital, as a drug dealer.
Mathew Leslie Smith, 18, of 5 Courtney Court, is charged with attempted felony murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Smith is accused of being the man who fired the shots at Blumenfeld. One bullet struck Blumenfeld in the right arm then traveled into his chest, collapsing a lung and ending up between the liver and diaphragm. Smith was arrested and is being held at the Flagler County jail on $200,000 bond.
Matthew D. Morris, 20, of 39 Pershing Lane, and Cameron M. Parker, 15, of 51 Woodlawn Drive, are charged with accessory to aggravated battery. Morris turned himself in at the jail and was released on $20,000 bond. Parker was arrested. Raymond M. Spencer, 16, of 8 Willoughby Place, is charged with principal to aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Parker is in custody and will be transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Daytona Beach. Detectives believe Spencer has fled the State and may be headed to Texas.
Blumenfeld was found following the shooting bleeding severely from his wounds at the front door of his mother’s home on Llovera Place.
Based on the suspects’ arrest report, the narrative of the events that led to the shooting is as follows.
Earlier the day of the shooting on Nov. 4, Smith, Parker and Spencer were at Parker’s house on Woodlawn. Spencer said he had a “lick” for an ounce of marijuana. He and Smith began to speak with Blumenfeld about buying pot.
Spencer, Smith and Parker, according to the report, cooked up a plan to steal the pot from Blumenfeld. Parker told investigators that the plan was for Spencer to grab the marijuana from Blumenfeld’s hands and drive off. The suspects planned their heist down to the seating arrangement in the car.
The three suspects contacted the fourth, Morris, to give them a ride in order to pull off the plan. Before Morris’s arrival, Parker claims Smith went to his truck and retrieved a gun. Parker told him to put the gun away, and thought that Smith had done just that.
Morris drove a black 2008 Ford Focus. Cameron, M. Smith and Raymond got into Morris’ vehicle. Morris drove. Spencer sat up front. Parker and Smith sat in the back. They drove south by way of Pine Lakes Parkway, Commerce Boulevard, US 1 and then up Belle Terre Boulevard, finally stopping on Lloyd Trail.
During the drive, the suspects told Morris, who had been unaware of the full plan until then, that they would be stealing the pot out of Blumenfeld’s hands then drive off, according to the arrest reports.
Blumenfeld told them of his location by phone. He was near the intersection of Lloyd Trail and Llovera Place, where the shooting took place.
According to Parker, Spencer grabbed for the marijuana but Blumenfeld didn’t let go and asked the suspects if they were trying to rob him.
That’s when Smith, still in the car and sitting behind Spencer, took out the gun, according to the report, pointed it at Blumenfeld “between Raymond’s head and the side of the vehicle,” and fired one round. He missed. Blumenfeld ran. Smith reached outside the car and fired two more times, hitting Blumenfeld once.
The four suspects then fled towards Belle Terre Boulevard. Red-light cameras and Morris’s testimony would subsequently trace their route—to State Road 100, I-95 north, Palm Coast Parkway and back to Parker’s house. Smith, according to the report, had the suspects “check” the vehicle before leaving the scene, and as the four drove away, “Smith made a comment of another drug dealer down that he does not have to worry about.”
Meanwhile Blumenfeld knocked on the door of his house. His mother, Sue Harris, opened. He told her he’d been shot. He collapsed and lost consciousness.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they recovered one spent Blazer 380 auto shell casing near the intersection of Lloyd Trail and Llovera Place. A blood trail led from the intersection to the victim’s house at 9 Llovera Place. A clear bag containing one ounce of pot was located in the bushes near the front door of Blumenfeld’s home. Blood was also located on the outside of the bag. A canvass of the area located a security camera, whose video enabled investigators to zero in on the black Ford Focus and its tag number.
“Our people did a tremendous job securing the scene and conducting a thorough investigation into this incident,” Sheriff Jim Manfre said.
If you have any information about this incident or Raymond Spencer’s whereabouts, please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-8477. You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
confidential says
Good job done by our FCSO!!
Genie says
We are raising cold blooded killers here. It’s time to double down on the youth gang and drug activity here in Flagler County, make it clear it won’t be tolerated.
Otherwise, we are going to lose this community to thugs.
386 man says
look at these wantabe gangsters lets see how gangster there are going to be in prison
Florida Native. says
Just another day in the wild wild west,er Palm Coast. When I first moved here four years ago I noticed cop cars on every street corner and now I know why.
maryann says
HUH- DID I JUST READ RED LIGHT CAMERAS HELPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A.S.F. says
If any parents are reading this forum, please take this opportunity to speak with your children and at least attempt to find out what is going on in their lives. I hope Mr. Blumenfeld recovers and gets to make a fresh start in his life, if there is any truth to what is reported above.
K says
I can only hope that our criminal justice system throws the book at these kids- especially Matthew Smith who at the young age of 18 seems to have such little regard for human life.
A.S.F. says
Say, wasn’t Mathew Smith one of the kids involved in that “grinching” (vandalizing) episode in Palm Coast last December?
rhweir says
Rough town.
Typical Drunk says
Dan Cody for sheriff. Cody said Flagler Beach had no drug problem when he was chief it was only the people on the weekends from outside the city that had drugs. If he was sheriff the county would not have a drug problem unless it was people from outside the county.
B. King says
So what’s next shooting people if the don’t hand over their McDonalds lunches ?
C.R says
Spencer sent my daughter a picture of him holding a gun on Facebook to threaten her, hope they catch him soon n then they can “play with the big dogs” like they portray to be.
CS says
Yes Matt was the one who got arrested last December and got a Felony charge against him. He has been trouble since the day he got thrown out of Matanzas High School. Hopefully he will stay in prison for what he did and maybe FCSO can get more of these loser kids off the streets here.
anon says
It’s good that attempted murder is being taken seriously in Flagler County now; that’s a step forward at least.
.... says
what you people don’t realize is that these little ”tough guys” grow up and become what they are and a lot worse at that. these kids, are shooting other kids. how much worse can it get? if shooting at 18, they’ll shoot at 20, 30, 40, 50, etc. prison time will get them off the streets, but only for so long, and when they get out, they will be the ”gangsters” you all are talking about. they will be tougher and have more illegal knowledge. this is the society we live in today and are raising our children in….
Dave says
So is Blumenfield going to be arrested for the possession or trying to sell pot? Or is he going to get a freebee this time after what happened?
The Geode says
Where are all the comments alluding to “Southside Bunnell” being the criminal capitol of Flagler County?
A.S.F. says
It is frightening to read about the young people committing crimes in this town on an ever-escalating scale. I read an article in the Observer that showed a surveillence photo of a young looking individual peering into a camera while casing a home, possibly trying to disable it. Are there no better outlets than the streets that parents and guardians can provide or suggest for their children? Since is sometimes takes a village, is there nothing more that we, as a community, can do to provide other alternatives besides wait until the worst happens and then cry, “Lock them up and throw away the key?” I wish the job situation were different so that the buying, selling and using of drugs was not such a temptation!
PCresident says
When your set up as a retirement community and then you don’t recognize the influx of people over the past ten years have not been mass majority of retired people anymore, but people raising their family, the community center that holds bingo and bridge is not sufficient anymore!
If we don’t build it, they will not come, matter of fact, they will hit your mail boxes, steal your stuff out of your car, and shoot each other.
Give teenagers an outlet or they will find one themselves. When the community does not care, why should the parents?
confidential says
Parents of these troubled kids are no show on their upbringing and that is the number one problem.
They provide an armed heaven in their homes for there spoiled kids with total disregard for the community! Monitoring their whereabouts is non existent “because they do not want to infringe their babies space or perceived as taking away “their privacy”.
Raising kids to be a positive component in our society is not an easy task and requires plenty of sacrifices (example to say NO), that some parents are not prepared or have the responsibility to fulfill…
A.S.F. says
PCresident says–I understand what you are saying but, when you say; “When the community does not care, why should the parents?””–I think many might take offense and justify doing nothing because they feel it should be the other way around. They might feel, If the parents don’t care enough to put in more of an effort, why should they? The fact is, We should ALL care, if not out of concern for the futures of these children, then maybe for the more selfish (but certainly real) reason that our safety and property may be at risk if we don’t.
Genie says
@ PC resident: We live in the middle of one of the nicest recreation areas in the state. What do you want the city to do for these kids that the city hasn’t already done?
If they hit our mail boxes, break into our cars and shoot each other then they are breaking the law and will do the time. END of childhood.
I believe this community has more than enough activities here for kids. If that is the excuse for them getting into trouble, then it is no excuse at all. And that has NOTHING to do with the community caring about these kids.
They are not OUR kids, they are yours. BE A PARENT.
Forward says
C.R. Can you please forward that to the Sheriff’s Office or call 586-4801 and leave a message. One of the detectives working the case will get back to you.
Genie says
PC Sheriff Fleming said the same thing, but we all watched the daily drug sales at the County library. We even watched the dismantling of the gazebo at the library and could NOT get the police involved, despite MANY complaints.
Personally, I think we need a larger force here. And we need to address the fact that these little darlings usually get out of jail immediately after being arrested. That needs to end.
One drug bust should be the last.
RHWeir says
“When your set up as a retirement community and then you don’t recognize the influx of people over the past ten years have not been mass majority of retired people anymore, but people raising their family, the community center that holds bingo and bridge is not sufficient anymore! ” Agreed, but I came here to retire, hangout, play golf, do some boating and fishing. I did not come here to deal with juvenile delinquents, urban sprawl, thugs and an influx of renters with inadequate income and with children who have nothing to do. I will say this, Palm Coast is a wonderful place! I will continue to say it until my house is sold and I get out of here.
I say says
Spare the rod and spoil the child. Children are out of control because no one is permitted to control them other than law enforcement. Children today tell teachers, other adults, and their parents to go to hell. Bring back discipline and get kids under control, otherwise we will continue to live with the consequences of sparing the rod.
NortonSmitty says
These boy’s value will be measured in cigarettes for about a decade.
NortonSmitty says
You want to pay for more cops? If they were deployed properly, we probably could be safer with half.
NortonSmitty says
If he didn’t learn his lesson after this you think prison is going to teach him?
NortonSmitty says
I’ll say it again, when you overbuild housing and drive the property values down to where the speculators have to resort to cheap rentals or lose their investment, things like this will follow. It is cheaper today to rent a three bedroom house with 2 car garage and maybe a pool in Palm Coast than a hovel in Daytona or Holly Hill. What kind of residents do you think you’re gonna’ get?
NortonSmitty says
These were not the “Red LIght Cameras” that go off and flash every time there is a violation. These are the cameras supplied by Homeland Security to watch over us all with care and loving grace. Now go back to sleep.
Ginger Grant says
This sums it up for all you Palm Coasters. Enjoy.
Anonymous says
3 arrested…where’s the actual shooter? And as far as “our” juvenile delinquents go, there are more good kids than bad statistically here in PC. And maybe if the schools, guidance counselors and the rest of the so called “family outreach” programs and let’s not forget what used to be police involved activities when they cared, did their jobs we would have less problems with these kids. Don’t just blame the parents some of us can’t afford all of those wonderful activities that only the fortunate can take part of. Some of us do love our kids and try to keep them on the right path and we do whatever we can but it’s all about the money here in Flagler. That’s the bottom line and the biggest problem. Incarceration is not the answer for children, rehabilitation funded by the State, County or Government is.
Ralph Belcher says
Our family raised three teenagers in Flagler County, and the never became a menace to society in any way whatsoever. And without anything but two parents and a quite modest income. No shootings, no drug activity… just found things to get into (music, collectables, and yes, even video games that ‘shoot’ and race around). Two parents who were involved, loving and cared on a consistent basis. We had our own problems, but these everyday problems never spilled out into the community, and certainly not in crimes against others.
IT CAN BE DONE!
A.S.F. says
Anonymous says–As long as parents insist on pointing fingers of blame on everyone but themselves, we will see children who refuse to take responsibility for their own actions.
K says
I don’t have a lot of money and for a long time was a working single mother but my kids didn’t end up trying to murder someone for drugs. Maybe that’s because I took the responsibility for raising MY children, not expecting other people or agencies to do that job. Love and attention are free. So is parental supervision.
Joe Joe says
Anonymous, it is the PARENTS responsibility to raise their children right. Not county agencies. If you can’t raise your kids right, don’t have kids!
time served says
Getting shot and having a $50,000+ hospital bill is just about time served.
A.S.F. says
I hope someone has the foresight to tell Mr. Smith that, if he walks into an adult prison with an expression on his face similar to the one shown above, it will be wiped off very quickly by his fellow inmates.
The Truth says
I agree that parents need to take responsibility but I don’t believe the amount of money they make is a factor. Many parents are lazy and don’t put in the effort with their children. They would rather play on Facebook or with their new gadgets instead of pay attention to their kids. It’s too easy to put your child in front of an iPad or TV than it is to be a parent and interact with them.
The Truth says
My goodness, some of you speak as if the sky is falling. Once again, we are a county of 90,000+ residents. These things are (unfortunately) going to happen. I feel sorry for all the kids involved – the victim and the suspects – but this is part of life. I still feel very safe living in Palm Coast as things could be far worse. We need to understand that we live in a day and age where these things get out instantly due to social media and sites like FlaglerLive. Let’s all take a deep breath and understand that Palm Coast and Flagler County isn’t as bad as some may think it is.
orphan says
To A.S.F.
I cannot agree with you regarding the job situation being a reason or excuse for these perps to be doing these CRIMES. Whether a family has an income from whatever source shouldn’t even enter into the equation. Morals and rightful ideology would take care of the problem, but it has to be universally practiced, and it is not.
This country has in just my lifetime created an abysmal national decadence. Families aren’t families anymore compared to the time and way that I grew up. Most of the people that I encounter during a normal working day have among them relatives (of the close kind) of the very same profile of the above referenced! Shouldn’t that be a telling sign?
We need to put a very strong BITE on CRIME! I do not understand why people keep on trying to justify horrendous actions as simply a matter of “that poor unfortunate”!
The answer should come from the question: “If my Senator or House spokesperson should live in the neighborhoods which they actually represent-would they vote the same on crime bills?
The Geode says
That sounds like too much work and too much interaction with the kids. It’s easier to be their “buddies” and pretend not to see or say anything about their transgressions. I trust they can figure it out on their own if us parents didn’t try to tell them what to do. …SARCASM
a mom says
Sir,
In case you were unaware… Trevor is unresponsive wit over 40% brain damage. To ask such an absurd question for a mere chuckle or like, is insensitive.
Despite the choices that any of these boys made they are still peoples children. Trevor is a son, grandson, father; by know means did he deserve to get shot. Yes, he had weed, yes his intent was wrong. He and his family need as much support and prayer this community can give.
His family is upstanding and giving, they have supported all types of youth programs and given back more than they ever got…
a mom says
To the peanut gallery…
Young adults make mistakes every day. Some life altering and some “lesson learned”..
It just so happens this was close to home. I understand points and opinions are being made. Keep in mind for you part time lawyers and wanna be police officers, this young man is lying in a bed unresponsive and brain damaged.
He is a father, son and grandson, with no criminal record -adult or juvenile.
Please understand that I too agree that he is completely in the wrong and that he in fact was part of the chain reaction to a very unfortunate event.
Rather than talk about his medical bills as a life sentence or getting arrested for possession, may talk about how this very accident could, should, and will change lives forever.
His family has grown up here, donated endless hours to youth programs, given their time to the community. They did not ask for this. They need help, their son is knocking on heavens door, folks.
Keep that in mind when you decide to write ” your opinion” remember he is a young man that needs strength and prayer.
Anonymous says
These kids don’t need prison, oddly they would feel cooler. They need to be scared straight to actually do something good with their lives. They need to be thrown in a camp that they work them, and for them to see for themselves what they would be good at and accomplish. They think they’re big yet have nothing to back them out. It’s sad.
Gabe says
There is no excuse for the actions that were taken so why don’t we all stop trying to make some. These kids needed guidance in which apparently they did not receive. I grew up here and since the 80’s things have come to a drastic change.we went to being a retirement community to having two full blown high schools and many other grade schools. We are obviously not a retirement community anymore and they population of kids and young adults are increasing. So let’s stop making excuses for these kids and lets get on the City Of Palm Coast. It is time there is more for kids in this city other than a movie theatre and small bowling alley. Why don’t we look into putt putt, go carts, city walk with arcade rooms, etc. things that kids like to do. Then maybe a lot of these kids will have something to do other than get in trouble and make life altering decisions as these four have made.
Rocky Mac says
I think back to my youth and what we did to stay out of trouble. We had one movie theater, a community swimming pool which was opened in the summer months, we had high school dances, a lake for boating and skating, and hills for sledding. We played games in the streets, and built forts in the woods. In our spare time we had paper routes, sold yum-yum, participated in school activities, scouting, etc, and did chores in the neighborhood to make a few dollars. We had no arcade, putt-putt or go carts. The worse that ever happened in our town were a few fist fights. So tell me why the kids today need to be entertained by the city to stay out of trouble?
truthbetold says
Bull! Parent! There are more things for kids to do in this community. I have never seen so many things for kids to do. After school programs, teen centers, PAL sports, Youth orchestra, chorus, City programs, church programs, a multitude of scholarships for those who can’t afford services, on and on. No excuses. You want your kids to be involved get them involved stop using the excuse that there is nothing to do. Research it, instead of just complaining. There’s plenty.
A concerened teenager says
Honestly if there were more jobs available to people in our age group or people in general, that crime rate would not be so high
Rocky Mac says
So because you do not have a job that makes it okay to commit a crime? God help us if all young people feel that way.
Harley dude says
Livin’ in this town must be tuff, tuff, tuff, TUFF, TUFF!!
anon says
maybe if they made pot legal people wouldn’t be getting shot over ounces.
Anita says
I am appalled by the number of posters who insist on referring to these suspects as “kids”! 18 -20 year-olds can vote, hold a job, operate a vehicle, reproduce and, for the most part, function as adults in this society. At what age are they expected to take responsibility for their own actions? You can blame parental irresponsibility if you like, but in the final analysis, these young men will find that they are solely responsible for the lives they’re leading and for where they wind up.
Anita says
“Whether a family has an income from whatever source shouldn’t even enter into the equation.”
You mentioned encounters of the ‘near criminal kind’ during your working day. Have you ever considered what your life would be like without a job, prospects or a future? That is what too many young men in America face. They operate in a kind of ‘what have we got to lose funk’, day in, day out and never seem to accomplish anything in which they can feel pride. One young man was thrown out of High School, for whatever reason; Think about the future he faces when most entry level jobs require a Batchelor’s degree or apprenticeship. Besides keeping food on the table and a roof over our heads, most Americans derive our identity and self worth from the jobs we hold. One solution is to demand quality education in our schools and jobs that pay a living wage.
confidential says
I kind of agree…if they legalized alcohol and smokes are legal, legalizing pot will generate tax revenew , end the bloody drug wars and gardening skills will be promoted for the one’s allowed then to grow their own for their personal consumption. Just pass super harsher laws against DWI for whoever caught.
gp says
Thank goodness someone has a brain!