For the first time since his December arrest, the brother of a man accused of killing his wife in suburban Lake Worth last year is sharing his thoughts about the case.
Deputies said Euri Jenkins killed his wife, Makeva, in June 2017 just hours after she celebrated her success on Facebook.
After cooperating with the investigation, Joel Simmons said he can’t help but think that this is a witch hunt against his brother, Euri.
Simmons said for some reason deputies wanted to pin the suburban Lake Worth homicide on him.
Deputies maintain the facts will speak for themselves in court. Investigators took those facts to a grand jury and in December, which resulted in an indictment him in the death of Makeva Jenkins.
She was killed after opening the door at their house on Plumbago Place.
Euri Jenkins was arrested Dec. 14 and said he was innocent and that God would vindicate him.
In court Thursday, Euri Jenkins was scheduled to be arraigned, but that did not happen since was not transported from the Palm Beach County Jail.
If the arraignment would have taken place, his attorney said he was going to enter a not guilty plea.
“It doesn’t make any sense, not with all the work that he’s done with all of those children. He’s been a great father to all those children and he’s been a loving husband. There is no sense at all, so why would they pull him aside and put him in there. That’s why I said it feels like a witch hunt,” said Simmons.
“He’s not doing well. He misses his kids, misses his family. We maintain firmly that he is innocent of these charges,” attorney Gregg Lerman.
State prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty.
Court records show they have filed interviews with co-defendant Joevan Joseph, Jenkins and surveillance video into evidence.
In September, 19-year-old Joevan Joseph was arrested in the case and charged with first-degree murder. He has entered a not guilty plea.
Makeva Jenkins’ family was in court Thursday for the scheduled hearing. They say they will attend every hearing, hoping justice is served in their grand daughter’s death.