Documents suggest apartment complex's lax security resulted in man's murder

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Channel 9 uncovered court documents that a family said proves their Orange County apartment complex didn't do enough to prevent a man's murder.

Fojuan Bell was killed during a home invasion at the Village Park Apartment Complex in Rosemont five years ago.

Channel 9's Daralene Jones found residents, workers and police warned there wasn't enough security at the complex, which is detailed in the depositions for a civil trial that was scheduled to start Monday morning.

But the judge ordered both sides to try and work out a deal behind closed doors, which is where the attorneys have been all day.

If the sides can't reach an agreement, jury selection will start Tuesday.

Bell was visiting friends and watching "Sunday Night Football" inside one of the units in 2009 when Robert Rumph kicked down the front door and fired several shots, killing Bell in a case of mistaken identity.

This 11-page lawsuit now alleges the owners of the complex, IMT-LB Central Florida, neglected to provide proper security.

"It's not surprising, definitely not surprising around here," said Village Park resident Fletcher Thompson. "They really, they don't take care of the place."

A number of longtime residents were afraid to speak on camera with WFTV, and those who did had very little to say.

"It's definitely a little rough," said Thompson.

The depositions detail a history of complaints about the lack of security. In them, an Orlando police officer urged management to increase security.

The vice president of the company acknowledged a policy "not to inform residents of crime" and a decision was made to "remove the access gates."

And records show the owners eliminated the security budget in 2009, the same year Bell was killed, despite 3,000 calls for service to the area, including a rape and kidnapping in the four years leading up to the deadly shooting.

The complex is now under new ownership.

"What have you all done to improve security here at the apartment complex?" asked Jones.

"Security is (an) important issue, something we always work to improve, although the cost is extensive to provide," said regional manager Ronnie Marshall.

WFTV