A Tampa couple was shot after arriving home from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Val Delacruz and his girlfriend, Kim Chambliss, were targeted by Marcus Jenkins and Tristin Wright, who followed them from the casino after Delacruz won a jackpot.
The violent encounter, captured on the couple's doorbell camera, left Delacruz and Chambliss injured from gunshots. In barely coherent pleas, Delacruz can be heard begging the assailants while he lay wounded on his own doorstep. The suspects were demanding money and managed to instantly flee with Delacruz's watch and Chambliss's purse, further detailed footage revealed suspects following the couple through the casino and according to additional surveillance from the parking lot, as mentioned in an WFLA report.
In a statement, Chambliss expressed the irreversible impact of the crime on their lives, saying, "Our lives will never go back to the way they were before that night. Ever, ever. We can't go back to that moment. We can't go back to who we were before that moment," as she told FOX 13.
Both suspects are facing a slew of charges, including multiple counts of attempted first-degree murder and robbery. Jenkins, who has a history of felony convictions, was also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. A third accomplice, yet to be identified, reportedly was driving the getaway vehicle, detailed in court records and covered by WSVN. Seminole Police, in conjunction with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, continue to investigate this harrowing crime while reassuring the public that such incidents are rare in nature. They encourage guests to always ask for a security escort to their vehicle if they feel unsafe. The aftermath of the incident has left the couple facing months of physical recovery and the enduring challenge of reclaiming the sense of security once taken for granted in their own home.
