TAMPA: 16-Year-Old Juvenile to Be Tried as an Adult in “Show-Off” Murder Case

Amer Ali Ejak, 16, has been Indicted for First Degree Murder and will be prosecuted as an Adult for his role in the death of a 34-year-old father, Thomas Johannesen, in Hillsborough County two weeks ago. For the complete story, please check out today’s St. Pete Times article.

Deputies say that Ejak, and his 22-year-old co-Defendant, Christopher Cox, killed Johannesen, then wrapped his body in a sheet before hiding it in a closet. It is alleged that Ejak fatally struck Johannesen in the head with a whiskey bottle.After hiding Johannesen’s body in a closet, the two Defendants returned to show their friends what they had done.While Ejak was originally booked into the Juvenile Detention Center, he was transferred today to the Orient Road Jail where he will remain, on no bond, until his trial.

The Blake & Dorsten, P.A., in Clearwater, handles both Juvenile and Adult cases throughout the Tampa Bay area. If your case requires immediate attention, the Blake & Dorsten, P.A. will be there for you. 365/24/7.

If your child is facing a serious Felony offense, and is 16 or 17-years of age, the State Attorney’s Office (in their discretion) may elect to prosecute your son or daughter as an Adult. If this is done, the stakes and penalties will be raised significantly.

To protect your child’s rights (and hopefully preserve their arrest record), you will need to contact an experienced and aggressive criminal defense attorney that handles both Adult and Juvenile cases. For more information and/or to speak directly with criminal defense Attorney Nicholas J. Dorsten, Esq., please call 727.286.6141.