Inset: Clinton Robinson Jr. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Background: Scene of fatal shooting in Lakeland, Florida (WTSP/YouTube)
A Florida man who had an ongoing beef with his neighbor allegedly shot him to death and then said, “How do you like me now?”
Polk County Sheriff’s deputies responded around 10 p.m. to a shots fired call in the 1100 block of Fleming Avenue in Lakeland. Deputies found the victim, 32-year-old Alfredo “Freddie” Alfaro-Astello, suffering from several gunshot wounds. Paramedics pronounced him dead on the scene.
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, detectives spoke to a neighbor who said she was inside her home when she heard four rapid-fire gunshots. She said hearing gunshots was “not out of the ordinary” so she didn’t think much of it. She said about 15 minutes later she and her husband walked out of their home and saw Alfaro-Astello laying on the ground in front of his home. They called 911.
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Witnesses later reportedly said they saw the suspect, 38-year-old Clinton “CJ” Robinson Jr., holding a handgun and standing outside his home in front of an SUV with another man. They said they saw Robinson walk to the corner of the property and heard four gunshots, the affidavit said. They saw smoke coming from the area where Robinson stood and heard him say, “How do you like me now?” cops wrote. The other man ran away “like he saw a ghost,” the witnesses reportedly said. Robinson then quickly drove away, per the affidavit.
Neighbors also told cops that Robinson and Alfaro-Astello frequently argued. They also said someone had shattered the windows at Robinson’s home that morning. He was known to sell drugs out of his home, according to the affidavit.
Deputies spoke with Robinson outside of his home. He allegedly said he came home around 8 a.m. to find his windows broken and suspected his ex-girlfriend did it. Robinson then claimed he cleaned up some of the glass and began playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III on his Xbox. He was inside at the time of the shooting and didn’t know the victim all that well, he allegedly said. Robinson denied shooting Alfaro-Astello or having any issues with him.
According to the affidavit, investigators recovered his vehicle away from the scene. Robinson at first insisted he was at home all morning but when confronted with video evidence he “suddenly remembered” he went to a store to get some Black and Mild’s but changed his mind and went home. Detectives were unable to recover the alleged murder weapon.
Deputies also found fentanyl and marijuana inside his home. They arrested him on charges of murder, tampering with evidence and possession of fentanyl and cannabis. He’s at the Polk County Jail without bond.
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