He fatally shot his girlfriend's ex after being beat up for mistreating her, records say

TACOMA, Wash. — After getting beat up in a fight over how to treat his girlfriend, a man lured his girlfriend's ex to a Tacoma street and fatally shot him, according to court documents.

Andrew Pointer III, 36, was arrested Monday in connection with the death of 38-year-old Lawrence Jeffries.

Police found Jeffries on Sunday lying in the 2000 block of East 44th Street suffering from a gunshot wound. He later died at the hospital.

Pierce County prosecutors have charged Pointer with first-degree murder and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf during a Tuesday arraignment in Superior Court.

Commissioner Sabrina Ahrens set bail at $2 million.

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A group of Jeffries' family and friends, including Cassie Houston, attended the arraignment.

"He was a great man," Houston said of Jeffries. "He had five kids; he just had a baby a couple of days ago."

Houston stressed Jeffries' devotion to his family.

"He was a happy, strong, family man," she said. "He was all about his family, (a) loyal, uplifting, words of wisdom, good guy… Whatever he did was for his five kids."

Steven Pimentel, Jeffries' brother, spoke about the case.

"It's hard losing my older brother to this coward," he said, emphasizing "the pain, hurt, and anger" that his family is going through.

Charging papers give this account:

Pointer and Jeffries had a "long-time disagreement" over how Pointer should treat his girlfriend, whom Jeffries used to date and had a 16-year-old daughter with.

The couple got into an argument at a Lake Tapps gathering Saturday and the woman called Jeffries to pick her up.

Pointer and Jeffries then got into a fight, which Pointer lost.

Jeffries and the woman left.

Early Sunday, the woman's daughter called to say Pointer was at their home and wanted to speak with her.

Pointer allegedly told his girlfriend to come home and bring Jeffries, promising that he only wanted to talk.

When they arrived, Pointer had changed into all black clothing and was holding a hand behind his back.

Witnesses said the men argued briefly before Pointer shot Jeffries twice and fled in a car.

A witness "indicated that Mr. Jeffries appeared to be unarmed and that the defendant appeared to have driven over Mr. Jeffries after he fell to the ground," according to charging papers.

Medical examiners found Jeffries died of a gunshot wound and had injuries consistent with being run over.

The woman ducked when gunshots rang out and later told police Pointer had previously told her "if he ever had to kill anyone for her that he would kill her too," records show.

Pointer has 12 prior felony convictions, including third-degree rape, second-degree assault and bail jumping.

The News Tribune