He said a ‘demon’ made him kill his ex and infant son in Florida. What’s next in court?

A Bradenton man charged with killing his ex-girlfriend and then setting her apartment on fire, also killing their 8-month-old son, is on trial this week.

Larry Bernard Williams, 25, previously claimed that a “demon which takes him over” was responsible for the crimes. Williams’ defense previously submitted an insanity plea, but recently withdrew it and submitted a plea of not guilty.

The apartment fire was discovered on the morning of Aug. 27, 2017, by an off-duty firefighter who was passing Avalon Square Apartments at 3506 14th Street West.

Inside Unit 119, emergency responders found 18-year-old Diamond Shelman and her son, Jeremiah, dead, the Bradenton Herald previously reported. The firefighter also saw a Chrysler 300 leaving the complex that was later identified as Williams’ car.

On Tuesday, 14 jurors heard from witnesses called by the state attorney’s office, including many law enforcement personnel who investigated the crime.

Crime scene technicians recalled finding blood spatters on a plastic shower curtain and clothes in the unit at Royal Palm Terrace Apartments in Bradenton that Williams allegedly returned to after the crime, as well as in his car.

Jurors also heard from fire investigator Jeff Batz, who worked with an arson dog named Booker to look for evidence of fire accelerant at the scorched apartment.

The dog alerted investigators to fire accelerant inside, as well as on Diamond Shelman’s body.

Later at Williams’ apartment, the dog alerted detectives to accelerant on clothes and shoes found inside, as well as in Williams’ Chrysler.

Finally, the dog was brought to the sheriff’s office where Williams was being held. It alerted detectives to accelerant on Williams’ lower body.

State attorneys showed video of the dog giving an “alert” when it approached Williams by sitting down, tensing and putting its head in Williams’ lap.

Williams’ defense challenged the accuracy of the dog’s detection, noting that it also sat down in front of a deputy who was in the room.

But fire investigators argued that the dog test is only one method used to identify accelerants, and is typically followed by forensic testing of materials.

Also called to the stand was Tydariah Mendez, who was living with Williams at Royal Palm Terrace in August 2017.

Mendez and Williams had previously been in a relationship and had a 1-year-old daughter together, she said.

Mendez recalled Williams leaving home around 3 a.m. on the morning of the fire.

She said she awoke in the morning to find Williams walking back and forth inside their apartment.

She went back to sleep and later woke to a call from Williams telling her to go check on his car. He told Mendez that he was helping a friend move, she testified.

When she went outside, she said there were police everywhere.

The final testimony called by state attorneys on Tuesday came from Shane Gaghan, a retired investigator with the Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives Investigation.

Gaghan detailed his investigation of the fire, which found that seven individual fires had been lit in the home.

“This fire was absolutely intentionally set by an open flame device in human hands,” Gaghan said.

Testimony is scheduled to continue on Wednesday. Prosecutors plan to call several more expert witnesses, and the defense may call rebuttal witnesses. Williams’ defense has not announced if he will testify.

Closing arguments and jury deliberation could start as soon as Wednesday afternoon.

Williams is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and would face a mandatory minimum of life in prison if found guilty. He is also charged with arson.

Williams is represented by Hillsborough County-based attorney Kim Seace.

State attorneys Suzanne O’Donnell and Rebecca Freel are prosecuting.

Judge Frederick P. Mercurio is presiding over the case.