A Tri-Cities man admits to shooting a man ‘point-blank in the throat’

A 30-year-old man could be called to testify at the murder trial of his roommate in a deadly shooting last December.

Javier J. Flores, 29, was shot “point-blank in the throat” and Briselda Carrazco was fired on three times at close range on Dec. 6 inside a Pasco home.

Flores died, while Carrazco was wounded, reportedly over a $1,000 debt.

The lawyer for Jerry D. Porter Sr. filed a witness list recently saying he intends to call Anthony Hamilton about “what he saw.”

He filed the document soon after Hamilton pleaded guilty to second-degree murder with a gun and second-degree assault.

Porter’s trial is set to start Monday, Nov. 18, in Franklin County Superior Court. He is charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.

Last week, prosecutors added a charge of first-degree rendering criminal assistance for allegedly helping Hamilton get away from the scene before police arrived.

Hamilton and Porter were Kennewick roommates at the time, court records show.

Court documents show that in the days before the fatal shooting, Porter sent a Facebook message to someone at the home, saying that Flores and someone named “Victor” owed him money.

Porter later refused to tell investigators why he was owed the money. He said he had gone to the home to visit his cousin, and did not see Flores.

Porter went to the home twice that day, finding Flores and Carrazco there during his second visit. Hamilton joined him at the house about an hour later, documents said.

The men were arguing when Hamilton pulled out a gun and shot Flores.

Porter, 31, and Hamilton were running away when Hamilton suddenly stopped, turned and shot at Carrazco, court documents said.

When a someone called 911, dispatchers could hear someone in the background yelling, “I’m going to die” and, “My leg hurts,” documents said.

In the aftermath of the shooting, Flores’ friends denied on social media that he owed any debt. His sister also organized a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral expenses.

Hamilton wrote in his plea statement that Flores pulled a knife on him during the argument, so he took out his gun and shot him. He also admitted shooting Carrazco in the butt.

His sentencing is set for Dec. 10.

Prosecutor Shawn Sant said Hamilton faces 21 years to just over 29 years. He plans to recommend 25, which includes a mandatory 5-year term for the gun.

Porter’s trial next week is expected to last 10 days once a jury is picked, said Sant.

This story was originally published November 12, 2019 at 11:04 AM.