ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An Orange County man accused of shooting and killing a teenager who stole diapers from a Walmart in 2017 pleaded no-contest in court on Monday, the day his trial was expected to start.
Lonnie Leonard was facing a manslaughter charge after investigators said he shot and killed Arthur Adams, 19, while the teen was running away from store employees through a Walmart parking lot on Clarcona Ocoee Road. Deputies said Adams had stolen diapers from the store.
Investigators said Leonard had no involvement in the situation and had no reason to shoot Adams.
Up until Monday, Leonard has claimed he shot Adams in self-defense despite how police described the incident had played out.
Jury selection was underway Monday before Leonard entered his no-contest plea.
Leonard will be sentenced in November.
JUST IN: Lonnie Leonard, who killed a fleeing diaper thief at an #OrangeCounty @Walmart in 2017, just pleaded no contest to manslaughter. His trial was supposed to start today. #WFTV pic.twitter.com/1wbnrvxxdM
— Field Sutton (@EFieldSutton) September 16, 2019
DOWNLOAD: Free WFTV News & Weather Apps
Not near a TV? Click here to watch WFTV newscasts live
Cox Media Group
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/MBZ3BIYHWNHH3DPECEJLUH2SUU.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/ZJLDQKZCRFAOHGLB3V6VAA4BKI.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/3SUUUF6GS5A6PJGOC73LQAR2RE.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/GBA7VBHWOFGXPEVZRBTCBOHAEI.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/UIRTNXH5QNDLTPNDHIBFKHWWYU.jpg)