Investigation continuing into Bokeelia shooting
A Lee County Sheriff’s Office investigation into the death of a Bokeelia man shot to death last Wednesday in an alleged confrontation with a neighbor is continuing.
John Marshall, who drove nearly 30 miles to his lawyer’s office in Fort Myers with the body of Ted Hubbell in the bed of his pickup truck, told his attorney he shot Hubbell in self-defense.
“The guy had threatened him in the past and then came out and said he was sorry for threatening him and pulled a gun on him and pistol-whipped him,” said attorney Robert Harris.
Marshall was forced to defend himself, Harris said.
“My client, Mr. Marshall, grabbed Mr. Hubbell’s arm with the gun in it and they went to the ground fighting and during a violent struggle, the gun went off and unfortunately a man is dead,” Harris said.
As of press time Monday, no charges had been filed.
“The Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation and there is no time frame of it,” Harris said in a telephone interview Monday.
Sheriff’s Office detectives began their investigation on March 4 after the agency received a report of a possible deceased person at 2052 Virginia Ave.
Arriving deputies made contact with Fort Myers Police Department units already on scene. Due to the nature of the incident, Major Crimes was called and assumed the investigation.
According to Gary Pierson, a friend of the deceased, the two men, neighbors on Hodges Drive, had been feuding for several weeks.
Marshall had placed a portable toilet on his property across from Hubbell’s about two weeks ago, Pierson said.
Odor was an issue and Hubbell reportedly asked Marshall to move it and the two exchanged words.
Concerning Wednesday’s shooting, Pierson said he does not believe Hubbell was the aggressor.
“Ted just wasn’t that kind of man,” Pierson said. “Ted was a member of our Sangha (Buddhist meeting). He was always at our Saturday meetings. Ted was the kindest and gentlest person I know.”
Pierson’s wife, Jill Hammer, agreed.
“This is a terrible loss to his family, a loss to the island, and a loss to the world,” Hammer said. “Ted was such an incredibly wonderful man. We were always touched by his gentleness and kindness. There just isn’t any way he was the aggressor.”
Crime Scene investigators were at the scene of the shooting on Hodges Drive all day Thursday.