Former Sebastian River High football star Jamal Riggins Jr., 25, was recently cleared of murder charges in a 2018 shooting incident in Gifford.
The Indian River County jury decided last week that Riggins Jr. was not guilty of first-degree murder with a firearm, attempted first-degree murder, four counts of attempted second-degree murder, and illegal firearm possession.
Riggins Jr. was accused of shooting a .223-caliber rifle from a car at a group of young individuals outside a Gifford home on April 20, 2018. The incident resulted in the death of 19-year-old Christard Lennard Hicks from Fort Pierce, who was the only person hit by the gunfire.
Former Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar previously stated that Riggins Jr.’s arrest was based on witness statements and physical evidence. The trial started on a Monday and concluded with a 48-minute jury deliberation.
Assistant State Attorney William Long expressed surprise at the verdict, citing the presence of three eyewitnesses. However, he acknowledged that the case was weakened by key witnesses, including one victim, Quinten Jones, who did not testify during the trial.
Riggins Jr. was also accused of attempting to murder Akeemia King, Christopher Lee, Maxina Titanna Timothee, and Jacari King, all residents of the area. The investigation revealed a black Chrysler, owned by Riggins Jr.’s cousin Dominique Riggins, fleeing the scene.
Although the murder weapon was not recovered, a receipt for a .223-caliber KelTec rifle, matching the bullets found at the scene, was found in Dominique Riggins’ vehicle. Dominique Riggins faces accessory charges in the murder and has pleaded not guilty.
At the time of the murder, Riggins Jr. was on probation for sexually assaulting a minor in 2016. He had previously faced a concealed firearm charge and served six months in jail, being released in January 2018.
In 2017, authorities apprehended Jamal Riggins Jr. in Vero Beach for possessing a firearm in a vehicle halted near 45th Street. Two other males in the vehicle accompanied Riggins. The weapon, identified as a Colt 1911 .45 caliber handgun bearing the inscription ‘United States Army Property,’ was found concealed beneath his khaki pants.
Riggins Jr. was a notable linebacker for his school’s football team in 2015 and 2016, but lost scholarship offers due to his legal issues.
