JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — UPDATED STORY: Jacksonville Dave & Buster’s employee now charged with manslaughter after victim dies in fight
Action News Jax has exclusively learned a Dave & Buster’s employee died after a beating that landed him in the hospital. Thony Roy, 28, was the employee who police say was attacked by another worker on Jan.21.
“It makes me very angry that something so senseless happened,” Maryse Beattie, Roy’s Aunt, told Action News Jax Ben Becker by phone from Texas who says Roy died on Jan. 26.
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Action News Jax first reported Roy was attacked by Cordell Bentley Russell, 34, a co-worker who was a cook at the Dave & Buster’s on the Southside.
“I’m searching for a reason to accept this,” said Beattie. “I can’t, there’s no reason.”
RELATED: Jacksonville Dave & Buster’s employee arrested after serious fight at the business, police say
According to the arrest report, a witness noted Russell already seemed agitated from working all day and then witnesses say someone told Russell in a strong tone to “put the food right there” to which Russell responded, “I’m a grown a** man.”
The report is heavily redacted, but it appears that’s when the fight took place. Witnesses told investigators the victim was foaming at the mouth and when officers arrived on the scene, they noted Roy was unresponsive with no pulse.
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“How devastated is the family?” asked Becker. “Oh, my god. That was the last boy, the one they spoiled and they are not good.”
Right now, Russell is facing second-degree felony charges of aggravated battery causing bodily harm or disability but in cases like this, the charges could be upgraded to second-degree murder according to Action News Jax Law & Safety expert Dale Carson.
Becker reached out to the State Attorney’s Office to find out if the charges will be upgraded and are waiting to hear back.
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Beattie and her family are still trying to process what happened.
“I’m not saying he [Russell] came to work to kill him [Roy], but I just hope he gets what he deserves in jail, Beattie said. I know they have to go through the process [and] until this boy is buried nobody is going to start healing”
A viewing will be held Saturday, February 4 at 10:00 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 11:00 a.m. both at Aaron and Burney Bivens Funeral Home.
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