Man sentenced to 78-years in prison for killing girlfriend
COCOA, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - The Cocoa Police Department says that a 36-year-old man was sentenced to more than 70-years in prison for shooting and killing his girlfriend in 2014.
Police say the man, identified as Dennis Aviles, was sentenced to a total of 78-years in prison for the crimes he was charged. 30-years of the total sentence will run concurrent with the rest of his sentence. He won't be eligible for release until he is 84-years-old.
A jury is reported to have found Aviles guilty of manslaughter with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, providing false statements to law enforcement and altering, destroying or concealing evidence in October.
On August 24th, 2014, police say that Aviles had called 911 to report that he and his girlfriend, 32-year-old Tahnika Duppins, were robbed at gunpoint and she had been shot. Aviles told detectives that two black males came to the couple's home on Johnson Street to buy crack cocaine. Aviles said a struggle ensued and that's when his girlfriend was shot.
However, police say that the investigation later revealed that Aviles made up the story and three other versions of a story in an attempt to shift blame away from himself. The evidence and witness testimony yielded the conclusion that Aviles shot his girlfriend on purpose after an argument with her.
“His time in prison will never bring the victim back to her family, but at least it gives them closure,” said Detective Debra Titkanich. “Ms. Duppins’s family can now begin to move forward and at least take comfort in knowing Mr. Aviles will not be able to harm anyone else.”