PTSD On Trial: Tampa Marine After 3 Deployments

Matthew Buendia accepts plea deal in deputy shooting
FOX 13 News
Evan Axelbank
October 9, 2015

TAMPA (FOX 13) - The Marine who shot a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Deputy accepted a plea deal at the last second on Friday night, just as it appeared the jury would be hung and a new trial ordered.

"He felt he had enough," said defense attorney Mark O'Brien.

Matthew Buendia shot Deputy Lyonelle Deveaux during a domestic incident at his home in 2011.

Buendia argued he was suffering from PTSD and should not be held legally responsible for what he did.

"We are hoping that he will have a long life and be able to deal with the issues that he has," said defense attorney Mark O'Brien.

"I'm sorry," he said, unable to choke back tears.

"I forgave you a long time ago," said Deveaux.
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Jury considers fate of former marine
FOX 13 Tampa
Gloria Gomez
October 9, 2015

Moments later, his dad made a frantic 911 call saying his son had shot an officer. “He is 25”, Richard Buendia told the operator. “He’s a former Marine. He suffers from Post-traumatic stress syndrome”.

TAMPA (FOX 13) - “Matthew Buendia was a U.S. Marine who came back from 3 deployments a different man, a broken man”, his defense attorney told the jury Friday morning during closing arguments at his trial for shooting a Hillsborough County Deputy.

Prosecutors painted a different picture saying “Buendia knew exactly what he was doing” when he shot at Deputy Lyonelle De Veaux nine times the night of September 30, 2011.

Deputy De Veaux was hit by three of those bullets, in the arm, leg and shoulder.

She was called to Buendia’s Carrollwood area apartment to investigate a 911 call about domestic violence. When she got there, “Buendia tried to kill Deputy De Veaux” the prosecutor said Friday. She survived but scars are permanent, he told the jury.

When the defense got their turn, the focus turned to the mental scars of war. They told jurors that three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan left Buendia traumatized. They asked the jury to find him not guilty by reason of insanity, saying he had no idea who he was or what he was doing that night.
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