Brewer Avoids Jury Trial, Sentenced to 35 Years in 2021 Lazy Gators Shooting Death

A 32-year-old Jefferson City man avoids a jury trial by entering guilty pleas in Camden County Circuit Court to charges of voluntary manslaughter…a class-B felony…along with armed criminal action and delivery of a controlled substance.

Chad Tariq Brewer had originally been charged with first-degree murder in connection to the 2021 Memorial Day Weekend shooting death of Vonza Watson at Lazy Gators.

Brewer entered the guilty pleas on Thursday before the Honorable Kenneth Michael Hayden who ordered Brewer to 15 years on the voluntary manslaughter charge and 10 years on the armed criminal action charge…those sentences are to be served consecutively. Brewer also received 10 years on the drug charge which will be served concurrent to the other two sentences.

Brewer has since been transferred to the Fulton Reception and Diagnostic Center.