Tampa man looking for answers after 14-year-old grandson shot to death
The grandfather of a 14-year-old boy shot to death in Tampa last week believes his grandson was set up.
Jevario Buie was found dead near railroad tracks between West Busch Boulevard and Rome Avenue on April 17. Police say he died from a gunshot wound, and they are still working to determine who killed him.
Jevario’s grandfather, Michael Baldwin Sr., said he believes the teen was told by friends to meet by the tracks to hang out and possibly stand up to a bully who had been challenging him to fight.
Instead, Baldwin suspects Jevario was confronted by several kids.
“Vario wasn’t a gang member; he wasn’t a part of their crew. He was an outsider,” Baldwin said. “He was someone who was easy to pick on because he didn’t have a group of people who was going to ride with him.”
The Tampa Police Department declined to answer questions about the case, citing the active investigation. Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.
“We are asking the community to come forward with any information they may have,” Tampa police Chief Lee Bercaw said in a news release. “Even the smallest detail could be crucial in solving this case and finding justice for Jevario’s family.”
Baldwin is offering an additional $1,000 reward for information that leads to arrests.
“The boys who’ve done this have already had their last restful night’s sleep,” Baldwin said. “If they close their eyes at night, without being drunk or high, they’re going to see Jevario’s face.”
Baldwin is a paralegal who advocates for formerly incarcerated people. He spent nearly 27 years in prison in California, and he said his time there inspired him to help others.
When Baldwin got out of prison, he made a point to develop a close relationship with his grandson.
“Instead of his graduation (from middle school), now we’ve got to prepare a funeral,” he said.
Baldwin said the loss is especially hard on his daughter, a single working mother of four.
“It’s devastating. I mean, who prepares for a 14-year-old’s funeral?” Baldwin said.
At a news conference Friday, Baldwin offered to stand by the families of the children who might be involved.
“When you own up to this, my commitment is to not hate you,” Baldwin said.
“We’re not going to stand for you to get forever in prison. We’re going to help you heal. I know this crime happened as a result of some hurting boys who hurt other people. They aren’t bad boys, it’s just no one has addressed their pain,” he said.
On Friday, Baldwin and his family viewed Jevario’s body for the first time since his death. He said police told them they initially were only able to identify Jevario through dental records.
“He was a happy, goofy, good person,” Jevario’s grandmother, JoQuetta Winters, said. “I just can’t believe he’s gone, that they took him away. He had so much to offer.”
Baldwin said detectives have not returned his family’s calls, and he plans to do his own investigation to try to figure out who killed his grandson.
Jevario’s family is raising money for funeral expenses through GoFundMe. His memorial service is planned for May 4.
“Vario wasn’t a bad kid. He wasn’t a gang member. He wasn’t someone hanging out with a bad crowd; he just wasn’t like that,” Baldwin said.
Anyone with information about the shooting can contact the Tampa Police Department at 813-231-6130 or call Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 800-873-8477.
