Florida man gets life sentence for non-fatal shooting

Cover photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo by poter.simon | Flickr

The Sarasota Police Department has released updated details regarding a 2018 non-fatal shooting, announcing life behind bars for a 39-year-old Florida Man.

According to the August 16, 2023 social media release, Cohoone's crime occurred during the early morning hours of April 6, 2018. The Sarasota Police Officers responded to a double shooting at a residence in the 1400 block of 21st Street in Sarasota. Two victims were found, each suffering from close-range gunshot wounds to the head. Miraculously, both victims survived.

All the evidence gathered identified 39-year-old Linva Raymond Cohoone Jr. as the suspect, and warrants were subsequently obtained for his arrest. On April 10, 2018, Cohoone was placed under arrest for 2 counts of Attempted Murder and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

The non-fatal shooting wasn't the only crime committed by Cohoone. Prior to the investigation, Cohoone had 45 existing felony charges, including Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Robbery, Aggravated Fleeing to Elude, Burglary of an Occupied Structure, and Possession of Cocaine.

While still in custody at the Sarasota County Jail, Cohoone solicited an inmate in December of 2021, offering the soon-to-be-released inmate $7,500 to finish the job by killing one of the surviving victims. As a result of that investigation, the Sarasota Police Department says Cohoone was charged with Premeditated Murder/Murder for Hire.

Then in December of 2022, Cohoone, still in custody, directed a three-way call from inside the jail to one of the victims. Cohoone apologized to the victim, begging them to help him 'get off' the charges. As a result of that investigation, Cohoone was subsequently charged with Violation of Pre-trial Release/Witness Tampering.
​
“We are very pleased with the recent sentencing of Linval Cohoone for the heinous crimes he committed on the victims in this case,” said Captain Johnathan Todd of the Sarasota Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division. “This sentence will ensure that Cohoone is never free to harm another innocent victim in our community again.”
Article by Rachael Volpe