Joshua Nareau, 23, who was charged in connection with the death of his grandfather, James “Jim” Khoury, 71, in South Gulf Cove, has been released on a $150,000 bond from Charlotte County Jail. Nareau’s release came after a motion hearing on Wednesday, as stated in court documents.
Initially facing a no-contact order with Khoury’s family, Nareau’s grandmother, Linda Khoury, spoke in support of him during the hearing, leading to the rescindment of the order. Prosecutors had sought pretrial detention for Nareau, citing the nature of Khoury’s shooting death on December 28.
However, Circuit Court Judge Shannon McFree rejected the motion, citing insufficient evidence linking Nareau to the crime. Despite recovery of a bullet believed to be the murder weapon, DNA testing has yet to confirm its connection to Khoury’s death.
Nareau is now subject to GPS monitoring and travel restrictions within the 20th Judicial Circuit. He must also surrender any firearms and passport.
