A father accused of fatally shooting his 21-year-old son in Kendall earlier this month has entered a not guilty plea.
David Contreras, 52, is facing a second-degree murder charge in the Nov. 3 killing of Eric Contreras.
Though he didn't appear in court Monday, David Contreras' attorney entered the not guilty plea for him at a formal arraignment.
According to an arrest report, David Contreras shot his son multiple times "for unknown reasons" then called police and told them he'd shot his son.
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When officers arrived to the scene near 10703 Southwest 84th Avenue, they found Eric Contreras suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
David Contreras was booked into jail where he remains held without bond. His attorneys are hoping a judge will grant him a bond, and a hearing to discuss whether to grant him bond has been scheduled for January.
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The father’s attorney said Erik struggled with his mental health, and that may have been a factor in the incident.
"This is just a very tragic situation. He is distraught," defense attorney Frank Quintero Jr., one of three lawyers representing David Contreras, told NBC6 over the phone after the incident. "The victim is the son of the defendant, and the victim has suffered from some severe emotional and mental conditions, and we're still trying to determine what happened, why it happened."
Miami-Dade Police are still investigating.
