CASE UPDATE | Teens Exploit Cash App Scheme in Deadly Robbery That Left Gainesville Man Dead

Teens Used Cash App Glitch To Rob Man — 13-Year-Old Shot Him As He Tried To Leave
On April 19, 2024, at around 11:42 a.m., officers responded to Tiger Bay Apartments at 484 SE 24th Drive in Gainesville, Florida, after reports of a shooting involving a vehicle that had crashed into the complex’s leasing office. Upon arrival, they located a male victim inside the vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The victim was identified as 25-year-old Wilber Alberto Perez.
Investigators determined Perez had arranged to meet two teenagers for a marijuana transaction at the apartment complex. According to authorities, the meeting was a setup for a robbery.
Surveillance video showed Perez arriving and parking near Building 4. Approximately two minutes later, his vehicle rapidly reversed, swerved, and crashed into the leasing office.
A witness inside the vehicle told investigators Perez was on the phone when he arrived. After parking, multiple juveniles approached the driver’s side window. One of them allegedly grabbed a bag of marijuana from Perez’s lap and ran. As Perez began backing out to leave, another juvenile leaned into the vehicle with a firearm and fired a shot. The witness stated Perez then drove off before crashing, at which point it became clear he had been shot.
Detectives later identified the suspects as 14-year-old Zion Mykell James and 13-year-old Kemani Narada Hill.
Investigators recovered phone records showing communication between James and Perez arranging the transaction. A search of James’ phone revealed deleted calls and text messages, as well as multiple attempted Cash App transactions made in the seconds before the shooting.
Authorities say James used a “Cash App glitch,” placing his phone in airplane mode to make it appear as though payment had been sent. Witnesses stated James then grabbed the marijuana and ran. After he fled, Hill allegedly produced a firearm and shot Perez as he attempted to leave. James later reportedly gave the marijuana to another individual.
Perez’s wife and infant child were inside the vehicle at the time of the shooting.
On May 31, 2024, James was arrested and charged as an adult with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, tampering with evidence, distributing a controlled substance, and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony. He was ordered held without bond on the armed robbery charge, with additional bond set at $325,000 on the remaining charges.
On June 4, 2024, a grand jury indicted Hill on a charge of first-degree murder. Prosecutors confirmed she would be tried as an adult.
In February 2025, James entered a no contest plea to multiple charges related to the robbery. Despite facing a potential life sentence, he received a downward departure and was sentenced to ten years in prison.
Court records indicate James admitted to participating in the robbery but stated Hill was the one who possessed and discharged the firearm after he fled the scene.
On April 13, 2026, Hill, now 15, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter along with firearm-related offenses, avoiding trial on the original first-degree murder charge.
Following victim impact statements from Perez’s family, the court sentenced Hill to 20 years in prison.

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