Home poker game turns deadly in Florida
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A 62-year-old Florida poker player has died from gunshot injuries sustained while he was attending a poker party in the home of an acquaintance.
David Michael Turner, of Port Orange, had driven to New Smyrna Beach, where he attended a poker game at the home of James “Bopper” Marathas, a local “high roller” known for throwing poker games a few times a week. At nearly 9:30 PM Monday, two masked men appeared, demanded money, and then left after shooting Turner.
Marathas’ neighbor, Clyde Bowling, said that he’d slept through the shooting and didn’t know what had happened. “They were mainly just friends and everything, everyone was nice and there were never any problems there,” he said. “I used to go over and watch them play poker. It wasn’t too high stakes, but it was up there. I couldn’t afford it.”
Florida law allows “penny-ante” home games for stakes up to ten dollars. Sgt. Mike Brouillete said that police were investigating the attack and were not concerned with the legality of the invaded game.
The sergeant also said he didn’t know whether any money had been taken from the game, that all of the players present at the game had been questioned and that no arrests had yet been made.
