A 32-year-old woman was killed in the crossfire between two men arguing in a Dania Beach bar back in 2020 and now both men are charged with her death.
Kenneth Calvin McDonald, 43, is facing a second-degree felony murder charge in the shooting death of Marissa Harris, who was visiting from Ocala at the time.
She was shot in the back around 3 a.m. on Nov. 4, 2020, while running for cover with other bar patrons inside Rookie’s Ale House at 3325 Griffin Road, detectives said.
Jose Oscar Soltren-Echevarria, then 24, was arrested about one week later after showing up at Memorial West Hospital’s emergency room with a gunshot wound and saying he was a “wanted man,” Pembroke Pines Police said.
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Echevarria was treated and charged with manslaughter and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after Broward Sheriff’s forensic investigators determined it was a bullet from his gun that struck and killed Harris.
He pleaded no contest to the charges and is scheduled to be sentenced June 16.
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McDonald was charged May 6 after the Broward State Attorney’s Office reviewed the case, according to court documents.
According to the arrest report, McDonald and Echevarria had gotten into an argument inside the bar.
Echevarria said McDonald “spit on him” so Echevarria punched McDonald.
McDonald pulled out a gun and fired a couple of shots at the ceiling before pointing it at Echevarria who went for his gun.
The two men exchanged gunfire as the crowd scattered. The shootout was recorded on surveillance video.
Both men were wounded. Harris was pronounced dead inside the bar.
McDonald left the bar, went to his car, drove into Hollywood and called 911 but would only say he was "shot" and "robbed" without giving details, the report stated.
Hollywood Police arrived and McDonald was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital.
At the time of the shooting, McDonald was only charged with carrying a concealed firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon because of a prior drug conviction in 2016.
A $10,000 bond was added on Tuesday to the $22,000 combined bonds for the initial charges, but he remains in jail, records show.
