This browser does not support the Video element.
SANFORD, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - The man charged in the shooting of a money carrier at an Altamonte Springs Publix made his first appearance before a Seminole County judge on Wednesday. Lil Burtie Willis, 23, looked straight ahead and showed no emotion as the judge read the charges aloud, including robbery with a firearm, aggravated battery, and attempted felony murder.
Police say Willis is the man seen in surveillance video in the Palm Springs Crossing Publix, playing with his phone seconds before police say he shot Loomis money courier Marcos Rivera in the head two times, grabbed his bag of money then ran out of the grocery store. Witnesses told police Lil Burtie Willis jumped in the back seat the getaway car, a gold Nissan Maxima. Altamonte Springs police with the help of U.S. Marshal's Office arrested Lil Burtie Willis on Tuesday.
According to the arrest affidavit, a detective remembered a gold Nissan matching the description of the getaway car being stolen two days earlier. Arrest papers say the detective identified Willis' brother, Lil Kirk, as the suspect. That detective then went on Lil Kirk's Facebook page and saw a picture with a man wearing the same Chicago Bulls hat that the suspect was seen wearing in the incident from the Publix in Altamonte Springs.
According to the arrest affidavit, detectives showed up at Lil Kirk's apartment and waited for him. APD says another man showed up holding a pair of black Nike Shox and a large white cell phone, similar to what was seen in the surveillance video captured at Publix.
Investigators say when they tried to talk to the man, he refused. When the asked to search his car, police say the man said no. An APD K-9 indicated that he detected drugs in the car. Police say they found marijuana in that car. The man police arrested Lil Burtie Willis on a drug related charge. Police say he bonded out. Then Tuesday, investigators say a latent finger print from the back of the getaway car was identified as being that of Lil Burtie Willis.
With the help of the U.S. Marshals office investigators tracked down Lil Burtie Willis. Lil Kirk Willis was arrested on a violation of probation charge. Both men are being held at the Seminole County Jail without bond.