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Report: Alleged shooter in I-4 killing was supposed to be under house arrest

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — WFTV found out why an accused killer was out of town Friday night when he was supposed to be home on house arrest.

Junior Gedeon allegedly shot and killed Rodney Porter, 23, inside a car on Interstate 4 in Seminole County on Saturday.

According to Gedeon's statements in a report, he thought the victim's cousin was hitting on Gedeon's girlfriend throughout the night, which started at an Orlando nightclub.

Gedeon claims the shooting was in self-defense, but witnesses said Gedeon was acting crazy all night and got into fights at three clubs before they decided to head home to Apopka.

Gedeon went before a judge Sunday morning on a first-degree murder charge and was ordered to stay behind bars.

Police said the 25-year-old convicted criminal killed Porter in front of three other people, including Gedeon's girlfriend, who spoke to WFTV by phone and did not want to be identified. 

"There was no argument," she said. "It was really crazy how it happened."

She, another woman and the driver jumped from the speeding car. The driver went to a nearby 7-Eleven to get help.

Authorities quickly caught up with Gedeon, who they said caused the car to crash.

His rap sheet shows six arrests dating back to 2010, and at the time of Porter's killing, Gedeon was on probation on charges of drug possession.

Saturday morning, police said the group of people in the car just came from an Orlando nightclub.

Gedeon should have been home serving his two-year house arrest. A roommate of Gedeon's said Gedeon only left the house because it was a holiday.

"It's the Fourth of July. Everyone wants to have fun," the man said.

"Your home is your jail. You are allowed to leave for designated purposes only," said WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer. "Even if this guy is acquitted of these charges, he's going to prison based on violation of community control."

Gedeon is due back in court next month.

State officials told WFTV Gedeon did not have a GPS monitor because offenders on house arrest are required to report weekly to the probation office, and field contacts are made on a regular basis.