ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — He was wrongfully accused of murdering his own mother in St. Lucie County in late 2016. Left grieving her brutal death, while fearing he’d be the one left paying for it.
For the first time, Kenny Hamner is opening up about a settlement just reached between him and the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office and how the agency arresting him still impacts his life today.
"I tried to keep the faith that the truth would come out," Hamner said.
Hamner still can hardly keep a dry eye, thinking about what he’s gone through over the last six years.
"I still get people, I’ll be walking through a grocery store will look at me and I see it in their eyes," Hamner said.
Still thinking he killed his mother.
It was in December of 2016. Hamner's mother, Sheila Hamner, was brutally killed in her garage. Kenny was also injured, stabbed in the arm, and on scene when first responders arrived.
His attorney, Hugh Koerner, said the night of Sheila’s death, Kenny gave detectives a suspect description. One Sheriff Ken Mascara even put out shortly after the murder.
"We have information that possibly a dark-skinned Hispanic male was involved," Mascara said in 2016.
However, the murder was pinned on Kenny just weeks later.
But Koerner said no weapon was found after nine days of searching the area, nor a motive. And that he was arrested on a warrant, Koerner said, was filled with mistakes or misinformation.
So while grieving the death of his mom, Kenny- waited in jail, potentially facing the death penalty. And his family relationship, he said, was destroyed.
"I knew my family was lied to. I knew they weren’t told the truth and I knew I’d get them back," Hamner said.
But he was released, but not immediately exonerated by the sheriff.
It wasn't until 2018 that someone matching Hamner’s original suspect description was arrested. Koerner said Carlos Arellano-Ramirez is set to go to trial on the murder charge in January.
Hamner sued the sheriff’s office over the arrest and its impact on his life. Koerner said Hamner was awarded a $1.9 million settlement due to the "reckless disregard for the truth."
Hamner said closure will come when the right person is convicted. But he’s also cautiously hoping for an apology.
"That’s the one thing that’s still alluded me over the years, that why that hasn’t come. I’m still waiting," Hamner said.
The sheriff’s office declined to comment.
