WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A Palm Beach Gardens man who is out on bond after fatally shooting a Palm Beach County Fire Rescue captain is a flight risk and should be jailed, according to a new court filing.
J.B. Rind was arrested earlier this month in connection with the shooting death of James Gilliard.
Rind, 63, was initially facing charges of manslaughter and improper exhibition of a firearm, but he is now charged with third-degree murder, trafficking in morphine, conspiracy to sell morphine, conspiracy to sell oxycodone and conspiracy to sell amphetamines after a newly filed probable cause affidavit revealed that Rind had been selling prescription drugs to Gilliard.
The new affidavit alleges that Rind and Gilliard exchanged at least 853 text messages between Dec. 25, 2019, and Nov. 2, when the 48-year-old husband and father was fatally wounded.
"In the approximately 10-month period prior to the shooting, the defendant and victim appeared to exchange text messages dealing with the buying, selling or trading of drugs on at least 77 separate occasions," state attorney's office investigator John P. Boyle wrote. "In the course of reviewing the text messages, it becomes readily apparent that Mr. Rind, his roommate 'Alex' and Mr. Gilliard were engaged in an ongoing conspiracy to distribute narcotics that Mr. Rind either received prescriptions for or brought back during his trips to Mexico. Much of the conversations occur over long text message exchanges."
A motion filed Wednesday by assistant state attorney John Parnofiello seeks to either revoke bond for Rind or increase the bond amount in light of the new charges.
According to the motion, Rind "makes frequent trips to, and has an ownership interest in, his wife's residence in Merida, Mexico and as such presents a risk of flight."
Rind was released from jail on a $20,000 bond for the manslaughter charge, but the new charges carry an increased prison sentence if Rind were to be convicted.
If a judge decides that Rind should, in fact, remain free while awaiting trial, the state is asking for a total bond of $450,000.
An arraignment has been set for Dec. 10.
