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Suspect in Cocoa woman's murder denied bond

COCOA, Fla. — Police arrested the boyfriend of a woman who was found dead inside her Cocoa home on Friday.

Tahnika Duppins, 32, was found dead in a home on Johnson Street, authorities said.

"We actually had our SWAT team out serving a search warrant around the corner. Police responded. A female was transported. (She) has recently been pronounced dead," said Officer Barbara Matthews of the Cocoa Police Department.

Police said Dennis Avile II, 33, first told them that two men had entered the home during a botched drug-related robbery, but witness statements didn’t match his story.

Aviles was considered a person of interest early in the investigation and authorities seized his handgun as evidence.

He was charged late Friday with second-degree murder as well as providing false information to police, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and charges related to the destruction of evidence.

He appeared in court Saturday morning ans was denied bond.

Neighbors told WFTV there was a home invasion and a shooting in the neighborhood just last week, and that they're fed up with the violence.

"That's a good girl," said neighbor Hope Jenkins. "(She) take her child to school. Now she dead. What is her child supposed to do now? I feel like it could have been me. The woman didn't have nothing. It's just stupid."

Golfview Elementary School and McNair Magnet Middle were placed on lockdown while authorities investigated.