The 19-year-old accused of fatally shooting an FAU student in an off-campus apartment Tuesday night made his first appearance in bond court Thursday.
Donovan Malik Henry of Miramar, who was picked up Wednesday in Miami Gardens, appeared before Judge Mindy S. Glazer in a Miami-Dade County courtroom.
Henry is charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm in the death of Nicholas Max Acosta. Henry was listed on the Florida Atlantic men's soccer team roster as a freshman at the university.
The school confirmed Wednesday evening that Henry was a freshman soccer player and civil engineering major, but has officially been suspended.
Judge Mindy S. Glazer asked Henry if he had money to pay for a private lawyer. "Yeah, yeah, yes," he responded.
The judge said until he has one she would appoint the Public Defender’s office to represent him.
He was then advised not to speak to anyone else to protect his rights.
Henry then gave out his mother’s phone number so the Public Defender could contact her.
The judge said Palm Beach County has 15 days to pick him up and transfer him. A reset date was set for January 15.
Police say drugs were involved
Boca Raton detectives say the victim's girlfriend said Acosta had sold pot out of the apartment in the past and that Acosta gave out the access code to get inside the building.
On the night of the shooting the girlfriend, who was not named, opened the door and saw two men, one of whom she recognized from a party two months earlier, and invited them inside.
A few moments later she says three more men forced their way inside and ordered her and Acosta to the ground, according to police.
She said, “What’s going on?” And then Acosta was shot, according to her account.
All five left in two cars, one black and one red.
She also said that a large bag of marijuana was missing from the kitchen counter after the shooting.
There were also text messages between the suspect and the victim about a narcotics transaction, according to police.
Detectives say that they were able to trace the cell phone back to Henry.
Police are still trying to track down the 4 other men who were inside the apartment.
Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Scott Hanley at 561-338-1344 or Palm Beach County Crime Stoppers at 800-458-TIPS.
