Three Indicted in 2017 Hawthorne Woman’s Murder

GAINESVILLE ‒ An Alachua County Grand Jury has handed down three first-degree murder indictments for the 2017 murder of Christin Cassels in Hawthorne.

On April 21, 2017, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a shooting in the area of 78150 SE U.S. Highway 301 in Hawthorne and found the victim, Christin Cassels, suffering from a gunshot wound. Cassels was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel.

Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Detectives conducted a lengthy forensic investigation on cellular devices and Google data and identified Keneth Altidor, 42, Blake Carrington Jackson, 28 and Nikenson Perin, 36, as suspects.

On Jan. 17, 2024, Assistant State Attorney Ryan Nagel presented the evidence in the case to the Alachua County Spring Term Grand Jury. Following that, the Grand Jury returned a True Bill indicting the three men for first-degree murder and burglary while armed with a dangerous weapon.

On July 15, 2024, Altidor was arrested with the assistance of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office in Fort Lauderdale. On July 16, 2024, Jackson was arrested in Hallandale Beach, in Hollywood, Florida, also with the assistance of Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Both Altidor and Jackson were booked into the Alachua County Jail on July 23, 2024. Perin is in federal prison in Seattle, Washington, awaiting extradition back to Alachua County.

Judge Meshon Rawls received the findings from the Grand Jury and ordered Altidor and Jackson to be held without bail.

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