Local

Still no suspects after Boys and Girls Club workers found shot in Taft

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County investigators continue to collect evidence at a home where two men were found shot to death on Tuesday.

Deputies said DeAngelo Cox, 22 and Nick Lewis, 21, were found shot to death in a home on Fourth Street in Taft.

Channel 9’s Nancy Alvarez learned the killings were devastating for children at the Boys and Girls Club, where Cox and Lewis worked.

Less than 30 minutes before he was murdered, Cox was playing basketball with Carman Marty’s children a few blocks away.

“He said, ‘I'm leaving. I'll be right back in half an hour,’ and he never came back,” said Marty.

The victims’ families are still no closer to understanding why the two were shot at the home or why they were even there to begin with.

Community members said Cox and Lewis grew up going to the Boys and Girls Club and then returned there as adults to work with children.

Martay said Cox got her son into sports and was like a big brother.

“My son would be like, ‘I want to play basketball, but I'm not the type to play basketball,’” said Martay. “And D'Angelo would be like, ‘Never say you're not the type to do anything. You can do anything your heart wants to do.’”

Deputies said they got a call from a neighbor who reported hearing gunshots. When they arrived there was a shattered window and the two men shot to death inside.

Neighbors told Channel  9 that a man they only know as Larry lives at the home.

"This guy's never been in a mess. He never did anything bad. He got along with everybody on the block," said neighbor Carida Felix.

Investigators wouldn't say if they have been in contact with the person who lives in the home, or if they have any suspects in these slayings.

Friends of the two men said it's hard to imagine that they would be targeted because they stay out of trouble.

"I know that for a fact he didn't deserve to get shot. He ain't never done nothing wrong to nobody. Ain't never hurt nobody," said Felix.

Neither Cox nor Lewis had a criminal history.

Friends of Cox said his slaying is the last thing they could have imagined happening to him.

"He gives back to the community, works at the Boys and Girls Club, donates his time, volunteers his time," said one friend.