Aaron Raheem Hankerson, a 23-year-old African American male, was tragically murdered on October 9, 2016, in Sebring, Florida. The incident occurred in the early morning hours at Shooters Bar, located in the Sebring Square shopping plaza. Hankerson was shot multiple times by Freddie Washington, who was later convicted of first-degree murder. Witnesses reported that Washington stood over Hankerson and continued to shoot him even after he was down, before taking money and a cell phone from his
body. Washington then fled the scene in a vehicle but was later apprehended by the Sebring Police Department. A 9mm handgun recovered from Washington was forensically linked to the shell casings found at the crime scene.
The investigation into Hankerson's murder was thorough, leading to the successful prosecution of Freddie Washington. The Highlands County Jury took four and a half hours of deliberations to convict Washington of first-degree murder, robbery, aggravated assault, and tampering with physical evidence. State Attorney Brian Haas commended the efforts of Assistant State Attorney Steve Houchin and the Sebring Police Department for their roles in bringing Washington to justice. Washington's sentencing was scheduled for July 5, 2019, before Judge Estrada.
In addition to Washington, another suspect, Daryl Cason, was also implicated in the murder of Aaron Hankerson. Cason was interrogated by Sebring Police Detective Mike Cutolo just hours after the homicide. The prosecution presented a video of this interrogation during Cason's trial. Ultimately, Cason was convicted of first-degree murder, and his co-defendant, Washington, was already serving a life sentence for the same crime. The convictions of both Washington and Cason highlight the collaborative efforts of law enforcement and the judicial system in addressing this tragic event.
