Accused Bethune-Cookman University killer to plead not guilty by reason of insanity

After five years in lockup, a former Bethune-Cookman University student accused of killing two friends in a Daytona Beach apartment is expected to go on trial next month and will use insanity as his defense, court officials said on Tuesday.

Damon Kemp, now 24, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, has been in the Volusia County Branch Jail since 2018 charged with two counts of second-degree murder and armed burglary of an occupied dwelling with assault or battery.

Daytona Beach police said that on Dec. 7, 2018, Kemp shot and killed Trey Ingraham and Jordan Paden, both 19, in apartment 434 at the Jade Park Apartment Homes at 500 Jimmy Ann Drive.

"The defendant (Damon Kemp), according to the motion, is relying on a defense of not guilty by reason of insanity," said State Attorney's Office spokeswoman Haley Harrison. "The trial is scheduled for May 22."

In a telephone interview from jail in March 2019, Kemp said he did not know Paden but had been friends with Ingraham, also a student, whom he met in his freshman year at B-CU. Kemp said he and Ingraham used to hang out, play basketball and football on campus, and attended parties.

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Daytona Beach police first encountered Kemp on Dec. 7 at 1:51 a.m. when they responded to reports of a home invasion at the Jade Apartment Homes. A homeowner called 9-1-1 after Kemp knocked on his door. The resident opened the door and Kemp pointed a gun at him and entered the home, police said.

The homeowner managed to push Kemp out and lock his door, police said.

Responding officers found Kemp in the parking lot where he cursed at an officer and rushed him while having his arms tucked in his shirt, according to a report. Kemp then spontaneously uttered "I killed my friend," according to his arrest report.

Kemp would not give police his Daytona Beach address and would only give his Georgia address, police said.

It took police 15 hours to find 500 Jimmy Ann Drive apartment 434 as a possible address for Kemp. Officers returned to the Jade Apartment Homes and the front door of apartment 434 had a bullet hole in it.

After no one answered, police forced their way into the home and found the bodies of Ingraham and Paden. Bullet casings were on the floor and the walls had blood on them, police said.

Ingraham and Paden had been shot multiple times, police said.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Accused B-CU student will use reason of insanity as defense