THE FLAGLER TRIBUNE
Bunnell, Florida
Thursday, November 7, 1929
Mrs. Dotha Avant Haines, daughter of William Avant, shot her father with a 22-calibre pistol Sunday morning at the family home eight miles northeast of here when, it was said by witnesses, the father attacked his wife, choking and threatening her life with a knife.
It was disclosed by witnesses during the inquest which was held here Wednesday, that the shot entered the body of Avant in the back, ranging downward, producing a wound which resulted in Avant's death about 5:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon. The deceased had been carried to a hospital in Daytona Beach shortly after the shooting.
The daughter, who has an infant child, was arrested late Sunday afternoon by Sheriff J. H. McKnight who allowed her to return to her home that night, but was placed in the county jail here the next day. The verdict of the coroner's jury stated that death resulted from the pistol wound at the hands of the daughter, and she was remanded to jail to await the action of the grand jury.
The fatal shooting was said to have been brought about through a disagreement between Avant and his wife over the sale of chickens.
The Avant family have resided near here for about a year, he being employed by a turpentine company as a woodsrider. Besides the daughter who, it is said, did the shooting, a large number of children survive the deceased, two sons are reported to be living in Jacksonville.
The body of Avant was buried Sunday afternoon at Daytona Beach.
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THE FLAGLER TRIBUNE
Bunnell, Florida
Thursday, November 14, 1929
Dotha Avant Haines, 16-year-old mother who killed her father two weeks ago near here, was freed of the charge of murder today by Judge George W. Jackson in St. Augustine, where a preliminary hearing was held by Judge Jackson.
Sheriff J. H. McKnight, upon written orders carried the girl to St. Augustine this afternoon after Judge George R Benson, county judge here, had received an order removing the girl from jurisdiction of his court. Judge Jackson, in the preliminary hearing, examined Dotha's mother, sister and brother, eyewitnesses at the killing, and in addition examined written testimony taken here during an inquest held last week. Judge Jackson termed the case one of "plain justifiable homicide," releasing the girl from custody.
The young mother carried her eight-month's-old baby daughter to the courtroom, but she was not called to testify. She listened to Judge Jackson's decision with no sign of emotion, maintaining the same stolid indifference which has characterized her actions since the death of her father and while she was confined in the county jail here.
After Judge Jackson's decision, she declared that she was very happy and that she would "go to work at once to support mother and the baby." It is believed that the family will go to South Jacksonville where, it is said, two older boys of the family are now living.
Mrs. Avant, Dotha's mother, her sister Bessie and her brother Bill testified before Judge Jackson that the father William Avant, a woods rider for a turpentine firm near here, had threatened his wife's life while he was drinking two weeks ago Sunday. The witnesses said that Avant attempted to draw a knife as his family tried to quiet him. And that Dotha, seeing her mother's life in danger secured her father's revolver and shot him.
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NOTE: William Malachi Advant was born 07 Jan 1874, St George, Dorchester CO, SC and died 03 Nov 1929 in Flagler CO, FL. He is buried in Woodland Cemetery, Port Orange, Volusia CO, FL
