Special Episode: Case update + Season 5 teaser | 9

Summary

Felonious Florida: Special Episode - Case Update + Season 5 Teaser | Episode 9

Introduction

In this gripping special episode of Felonious Florida, host David Shutes teams up with South Florida Sun Sentinel reporter Angie Demichel to provide an in-depth update on one of the most harrowing cases featured in the podcast’s second season: the Encino murders. This episode not only revisits the traumatic events of August 17, 2009, but also sheds light on the nearly three-decade-long pursuit of justice for Camille Hamilton and her family.

The Encino Murders

On a quiet spring day in 2009, Camille Hamilton and her 15-year-old daughter, Nikki, were visiting South Florida from their home in Jamaica. What was meant to be a joyful trip to prepare for Nikki’s Sweet 16 turned into a nightmare.

Camille Hamilton shares her memories:

"We came to shop for because she was going to become 16. November 26, 2009 and we came to shop for our Sweet 16 party and back to school stuff."
(03:03)

Nikki, described as Camille’s "pride and joy," was a top student with aspirations of becoming a pediatrician. Her compassionate nature was evident as she often gave her lunch money to children in need.

Camille Hamilton reflects:

"She was always that kind of warm, loving, caring, giving person. Everything was good about my child. She was so different."
(03:44)

The Attack

On the night of August 16, 2009, Camille, Nikki, Camille's friend Faith Bissasaur, and Faith’s 15-year-old son Davion were brutally attacked at Faith's home on Encino Street in Miramar, Florida. Camille recounts the terrifying moments leading up to the attack:

"This man pull his gun out at the gate, stickers up, and said to the kids, you all get inside. And I dropped the car key in my pocket..."
(04:34)

Despite her efforts to protect her daughter, Camille was overpowered. In the ensuing chaos, the gunman shot Faith, Davion, and Nikki, leaving Camille severely injured and her memory of the night initially fragmented.

Camille Hamilton describes her desperate attempt to save her daughter:

"Don't take my daughter. Don't take my daughter up."
(05:04)

Investigation and Arrest

For months, the investigation stalled until a breakthrough in July 2009 when DNA from a piece of duct tape at the crime scene partially matched Kevin Pratt, a known criminal with a history of violent offenses. After a prolonged search, Pratt was identified and placed in a lineup, where Camille confidently identified him as her attacker.

Camille Hamilton asserts:

"This man. I see him face to face when he came up to the car... It was Kevin Pratt. It was number four. I never forgot that number."
(14:46)

Trial and Plea Deal

Charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, prosecutors initially sought the death penalty for Pratt. However, doubts about the strength of the DNA evidence and challenges to Camille's memory led to a plea deal. Pratt pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to just 10 years in prison, a decision that left Camille devastated.

Camille Hamilton expresses her anguish:

"I wanted him to get that penalty, to sit in the electric chair, but taking my child, life, Davion’s life and leave me to suffer."
(17:12)

Judge Ari Porth attempted to offer solace by assuring Camille that Pratt would return to prison if he violated any conditions, a promise that ultimately proved unfulfilled.

Pratt's Release and Recidivism

In 2021, after serving his sentence, Kevin Pratt was released. His newfound freedom was short-lived, as he continued his pattern of criminal behavior. Multiple arrests for probation violations, substance abuse, and threats culminated in a court finding him a danger to the community. On April 2, 2025, Pratt was sentenced to an unprecedented 69 years in Florida state prison, effectively ensuring he would spend the rest of his life incarcerated.

Camille Hamilton shares her relief:

"It happened. He's going away. He's not gonna come back."
(21:04)

Despite the legal vindication, Camille continues to live with the physical and emotional scars of that tragic night. She has undergone numerous surgeries and bears permanent injuries, including the loss of vision and hearing in parts of her left side.

Camille Hamilton declares:

"She's my only child. This man took everything from me when he took away my child."
(21:54)

Continuing Struggle and Healing

Camille’s journey of healing is fraught with pain and memories that refuse to fade. She often finds herself conversing with the memory of her daughter, seeking solace in the midst of her profound loss.

Camille Hamilton reflects:

"Sometimes I wake up, I talk to Nikki, I write to her. I tell her every night, mommy love you."
(22:03)

Looking Ahead: Season 5 Teaser

As the episode draws to a close, David Shutes provides a tantalizing glimpse into the upcoming fifth season of Felonious Florida. A new case from 1997 in Miramar, Florida, involving a quadruple homicide, promises to delve deeper into unsolved mysteries and the relentless pursuit of justice that defines the podcast.

David Shutes invites listeners:

"In a new season of Felonious Florida coming May 6th, we go inside that house and retrace the steps of detectives as they search for a cold-blooded killer and explore why this case has been said so difficult to crack."
(22:52)

Conclusion

This special episode of Felonious Florida serves as both a poignant closure to the Encino murders case and a bridge to future investigations. Camille Hamilton's unwavering quest for justice highlights the enduring impact of violent crime on survivors and their families. As season five approaches, listeners can anticipate further explorations into the dark and intricate world of Florida’s most notorious crimes.

---

Notable Quotes

• Camille Hamilton on identifying her attacker:
  "This man. I see him face to face when he came up to the car... It was Kevin Pratt." (14:46)

• Camille Hamilton expressing frustration over the plea deal:
  "I wanted him to get that penalty... but taking my child... leave me to suffer." (17:12)

• Camille Hamilton on receiving justice:
  "It happened. He's going away. He's not gonna come back." (21:04)

• Camille Hamilton on her enduring pain:
  "She's my only child. This man took everything from me when he took away my child." (21:54)

Stay Connected

For updates on this case and to be notified about the release of season five on May 6, follow Felonious Florida on social media and subscribe via the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Transcript

[David Shutes]

Wondery subscribers can binge all episodes of Felonious Florida Season four early and ad free right now. Join Wondery in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Camille Hamilton wants to leave no doubt in anyone's minds about who shot her in the head on August 17, 2009, or or about who killed her 15 year old daughter Nikki, her friend Faith Bissasaur, and Faith's 15 year old son Davion that same night. This was the Encino murders, a case featured in the second season of Felonious Florida. Camille was the only witness to the terrifying violent crime. For the past seven years, she has had to live with the knowledge that the killer who haunts her memories was never really punished and that doubts about Camille's memory were exploited and helped lead to a shocking plea deal.

[Camille Hamilton]

I remember everything that happened the night Kevin Pratt did this. I identify him for the crime of.

[David Shutes]

Taking the lives of Faith, Damian and Nikki and nearly taking the life of Camille. Kevin Pratt received a sentence of just 10 years behind bars. In 2021, he stepped out of prison and back onto the streets of Miami. But in the spring of 2025, Kevin Pratt's fortunes changed and Camille Hamilton got what she has waited for for 18 years.

[Lindsey Graham]

Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of Wondery's American Scandal. In our latest series, a family of religious fanatics move to Ruby Ridge, Idaho to wait out the apocalypse. But their paranoia and suspicion of authority lead confrontation with federal agents and their own personal Armageddon. Follow American Scandal on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[David Shutes]

I'm David Shutes, along with South Florida Sun Sentinel reporter Angie Demichel. This is a special episode of Felonious Florida, the podcast that leads you into the dark side of the Sunshine State. If you haven't listened to season two, we suggest you go back and catch up on the Encino murders before listening to this episode. And keep listening until the end because we have a special sneak peek at the upcoming fifth season of Felonious Florida dropping on May 6th. I'll start with what happened that summer back in 2009 when Camille Hamilton and her teenage daughter Nikita were on one of their frequent trips to Florida from their home in Jamaica. But this trip will end in heartbreak. Camille had taken Nikita, who she called Nikki to South Florida to get ready for a special occasion. Camille spoke to my colleague angie in early April 2025.

[Camille Hamilton]

We came to shop for because she was going to become 16. November 26, 2009 and we came to shop for our Sweet 16 party and back to school stuff.

[David Shutes]

Nikki was Camille's pride and joy, a top student who aspired to become a pediatrician. She played soccer and loved to sing and dance, though she was introverted and preferred performing in front of her mom or a mirror than in front of an audience. And she loved being around children, teaching them to read and write and helping them use computers. She would give her lunch money to kids who needed it more.

[Camille Hamilton]

She used to take out her money out of the account and give it to the kids, them and said, mom, they need it. She was always that kind of warm, loving, caring, giving person. Everything was good about my child. She was so different.

[David Shutes]

That August, Camille and Nikki had been spending time with Camille's friend, Faith Bissasaur. Faith had a son who was Nicky's age, Davion bishop. On Sunday, August 16, they were gathering at Faith's home on Encino street in Miramar, Florida. Nikki was planning to spend the night and Camille stopped at the grocery store to pick up some snacks. The four were in the driveway to help bring in the groceries, and Camille was approached from behind by a stranger.

[Camille Hamilton]

This man pull his gun out at the gate, stickers up, and said to the kids, you all get inside. And I dropped the car key in my pocket, not thinking that he would take any life. He said, let me get some money. And I said, I got no money. That's when he pulled the gun out and said, you all get inside. Two kids were at the doorway and he keeps saying, let me get some money. And he have the gun at my head.

[David Shutes]

Camille said she was able to get a good look at the gunman.

[Camille Hamilton]

This man, I see him face to face when he came up to the car, when we were unpacking the car and asking for money. He was wearing a black shirt, black hoodie, and he was sweaty and smelly.

[David Shutes]

Smelly, unshowered, like he'd been living on the streets for a while. The gunman forced Camille, Nicky, Faith and Davion into the house, and then he terrorized them. Initially, it was clear the gunman was there to rob the four victims. But Kamil didn't know if he was willing to use the gun to get what he wanted. Once inside, he had Camille, Faith and the teens go up the front stairs and into the master bedroom. He ordered Camille and Faith to empty their purses, but they had no money and the gunman seemed to be getting desperate. Faith offered to bring him to an atm.

[Camille Hamilton]

She said, let me take it to the bank. After she empty her purse and we all telling him that we do not have any money. And I said, she's gonna take it to the bank. And he said, shut up, shut up. You're talking too much. You talk too much. When he tell the kids to lay down on the floor, Nikki was close to the bedside table. Davian was next to Nikki. And then Ihan take the duct tape. And I keep saying, don't take my daughter. Don't take my daughter up. That's when he knocked me out.

[David Shutes]

The situation deteriorated and became violent.

[Camille Hamilton]

When I come back to, my hands was taped, my foot was taped. And he was standing over Faith, taping up Faith. And then me and him start wrestling. I start arguing back to him and said, don't tape up my child. Don't tape her up. And the gun fell out.

[David Shutes]

He had dropped the gun. And Camille saw an opportunity. It was a risky one, but she took it.

[Camille Hamilton]

That's when I pick up the gun and I drag on my knee and went to the other room with the duct tape on my feet and the duct tape on my hand. And he came to the room door and said, let me get my gun.

[David Shutes]

Desperate and terrified for the safety of her daughter and the others in the house, Camille aimed in her attacker's direction and fired. She missed, and the kickback knocked the gun from her hand.

[Camille Hamilton]

When he asked me to let him get his gun, I fired the first shot. And the gun pushed me back and dropped out my hand because I have no experience really with gun.

[David Shutes]

The attacker got the gun, grabbed Camille by the hair and and dragged her back to Faith's bedroom. For Camille, the dire reality set in.

[Angie Demichel]

When he took me back in the room, the kids was crying, and that was it. I heard Nikki crying. Vivian was crying. That was it. That was it. I didn't wake up till after three the next day.

[David Shutes]

The gunman had shot Camille in the face, and she blacked out. And then he turned the gun on Faith, Davion and Nikki.

[Angie Demichel]

He didn't want to leave no witness.

[David Shutes]

Behind, so he shot them in their heads, killing all three. For 14 hours, Camille lay unconscious and bleeding in the house. Eventually, she came to disoriented, confused and in pain. She said she remembers hearing Nikki's voice in her head.

[Camille Hamilton]

It's like I heard my daughter talking to me and telling me, wake up, Mommy. Wake up.

[Angie Demichel]

And when I come back to, I.

[Camille Hamilton]

Said, where am I?

[Angie Demichel]

And I keep asking, where is Nikki? I could have seen nothing.

[Camille Hamilton]

And I said, what is this? And I started feeling the blood, and I didn't know. I said, I'm Wet. I never forget.

[David Shutes]

Camille went to the bathroom and tried washing the blood out of her eyes.

[Camille Hamilton]

And I looking for Nikki. I couldn't see nothing, I couldn't hear nothing. And to be honest with you, I don't know how I reached on the stairs. I just hear. I just signed the phone on the floor and I pick it up and I press the last number that I call.

[David Shutes]

The last number she called was a friend she spoke to the previous night. When he answered, Camille was barely coherent.

[Camille Hamilton]

And I said, I got shot. I keep repeating, I got shot.

[David Shutes]

With Camille on the line, the friend she called used a second phone to call911.

[911 Operator]

911, what is your emergency? Hi, listen, I have a friend on the phone. I'm sorry, what? There's a friend of mine on the phone. She's incoherent. Okay, what is going on with her? She said she's been shot in the face. She's what? She said she was shot in the face. She was what? In the face. Shot. She was shot in the face. She was shot in the face? Yes.

[David Shutes]

Without an address, it took the police more than half an hour to find Camille. By then she had passed out again at the front door.

[Camille Hamilton]

And then like Nikki saying, mommy, the police outside wake up. It's like Nikki talking to me and telling me to wake up. I opened the front door and that was it.

[David Shutes]

Camille had been rescued, but the search was on for a killer.

[Anna Richardson]

The town of AGDA in France is famous for sun, sand, sea and sex. But lately, life on the coast has taken a strange turn. The town's mayor, a respected pillar of the community, has been arrested for corruption. His wife claims he's been bewitched by a beautiful clairvoyant. Then there's the mysterious phone calls that local people have been getting.

[Camille Hamilton]

I am the Archangel Michael.

[Anna Richardson]

The whole town has been thrown into.

[David Shutes]

Chaos as the mayor is unable to.

[Camille Hamilton]

Carry out his duties.

[David Shutes]

I would like to address you.

[Camille Hamilton]

All legal proceedings have been initiated.

[Anna Richardson]

Join me, Anna Richardson and journalist Leo Chic for the mystic and the Mayor as we investigate a story of power, corruption and magic Binge. All episodes of the mystic and the Mayor exclusively and ad free right now on Wondery Plus. Start your free trial in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or the Wondery app.

[Leo Chic]

Before the Internet ruled Our Lives, AOL brought America online with email and instant messenger. By 2000, AOL was so powerful, it broke bought media giant Time Warner. This was a deal that was supposed to bring us into the future, revolutionize media. But instead it became one of the messiest corporate disasters in history. So what went wrong? The dot com crash? Culture clashes? Or something deeper? Business wars gives you a front row seat to the biggest moments in business and how they shape our world. Because when your flight perks disappear, your favorite restaurant chain goes bankrupt, or new tech threatens to reshape everything overnight, and you can bet there's a deeper story behind the headlines. Make sure to follow Business wars on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcast. And you can binge all episodes of Business the AOL Time Warner disaster early and ad free right now on Wondery.

[David Shutes]

In the days after Camille Hamilton was recovering from being shot in the head, her memory of that night on Encino street was incomplete. So her descriptions of her attacker and details of what went on inside the house weren't consistent. But as her memories started coming back, she was able to help a police sketch artist develop a rendering of the gunman. For 11 months, detectives searched for that man with no luck. Fingerprints at the crime scene couldn't be matched with anyone in criminal databases. A break finally came in July 2009 when a tiny piece of duct tape found at the crime scene produced enough DNA to create a profile. And that profile returned a partial match to a known criminal named Kevin Pratt. Pratt lived a nomadic life, often homeless, mostly in South Florida, but was known to police as far north as Jacksonville. His record included robberies and other violent crimes, and he had been seen by police officers within a few miles of Encino street just before and just after the murders. Now detectives had a name and a face they could show to Camille. Just a few days before the anniversary of the murders, cops in Miami picked up Kevin Pratt for panhandling at a gas station. It took many months, but eventually investigators put Pratt in a live lineup to see if Camille would ID him as her attacker. She did.

[Camille Hamilton]

As soon as that line came out and I seen sideways, I recognized him. I recognized Kevin Pratt. They were saying that they have to face none. I have to look at others that came out. It wasn't none of them. It was Kevin Pratt. It was number four. I never forgot that number.

[David Shutes]

Pratt was charged with the murders of Nikki, Faith and Davion and attempted murder of Camille, and prosecutors said they would pursue the death penalty. But problems in the case surfaced, problems that would haunt Camille and unravel the case against Pratt. Prosecutors faced two main problems. One involved questions about the strength of the DNA test results that led to Kevin Pratt. But the other is more personal to Camille. Pratt's court appointed attorneys tore into Camille's memory of that night, especially her recollection of the man who shot her. They exploited early inconsistencies in her statements to the police, and they slammed photo lineups that Camille was shown and from which she didn't point to Kevin as her attacker. To this day, Camille is furious that her memory was questioned. She told reporter Angie demichel that she knows exactly who killed her only child and two other innocent people.

[Reporter]

You feel like you've never questioned or doubted that it was him.

[Camille Hamilton]

I remember everything that happened the night Kevin Pratt did this. This man. I see him face to face when he came up to the car. I'm talking to you, and it's like I'm looking at him and they're telling me that I don't remember him. I don't remember this man. How can I forget him? Kevin Pratt.

[David Shutes]

But the seeds of doubt were growing, and they were enough to lead the judge to warn prosecutors that their case against Pratt was thin. So they took the only route that would guarantee that Pratt was held accountable. They offered, and Pratt accepted a stunning deal. He would plead guilty to three counts of second degree murder and one count of felony attempted murder. Pratt was sentenced to 10 years in prison with credit for five years already served. It was a crushing blow to Camille.

[Camille Hamilton]

I wanted him to get that penalty, to sit in the electric chair, but taking my child, life, avian life and fate. Life and leave me to suffer.

[David Shutes]

After accepting the plea deal, Judge Ari Porth had some words for Camille that were meant to offer some comfort.

[Camille Hamilton]

The judge told me that if he run a red light, anything that he did do bad, anything run the law, he's gonna go back there for life. So I knew I was gonna get justice. I said, even though it pre bargained, I know he's gonna mess up again and he's gonna go back there for life.

[David Shutes]

In 2021, Kevin Pratt's sentence ended and he was set free. But those words that Judge Port spoke to Camille on the day of his plea deal would prove to be prophetic. Justice wasn't finished with Kevin Pratt. Pratt didn't stay out of trouble for long. It's July 7, 2022. Here's reporter Angie Demichel.

[Reporter]

Pratt had been out of prison for about nine months. A uniformed Miami Dade police officer on patrol spotted Pratt panhandling at a CVS pharmacy on Biscayne boulevard because it was private property, and Pratt had been warned just a day earlier about harassing people for money. The officer asked him for ID to issue him a formal trespass.

[David Shutes]

The officer noted in his report that Pratt was homeless and that he refused to cooperate. Fu Pratt told the officer as he tried to walk away and ignored orders to stop.

[Reporter]

So the officer arrested him for resisting without violence, a criminal offense that was a violation of Pratt's probation conditions.

[David Shutes]

Pratt was held in a Miami Dade jail for a short time, and after he was released, Pratt, he disappeared.

[Reporter]

His probation officer reported that Pratt had failed to check in and couldn't be located. He was gone for about four months, but was finally picked up in January of 2023 and booked into the Broward County Jail.

[David Shutes]

This time, Pratt was held for longer while his case moved through the court.

[Reporter]

Eight months later, Pratt's case was transferred to mental health court and his probation was modified in order for him to receive mental health treatment. Judge Porth, who was the original judge on Pratt's murder case, ordered Pratt be released to a homeless service in Miami Dade county called Camillus House. He was to live there until further notice, undergo random drug testing, and follow other strict requirements.

[David Shutes]

Pratt had been given yet another chance to keep his life on track. It took less than a year for him to land back in front of a judge.

[Reporter]

In September of 2024, Pratt was smoking marijuana and making threats at Camilla's house. The administration there evicted him for breaking their rules. He was living on the streets for about a month and then was taken in by the Salvation army to a homeless shelter.

[David Shutes]

Pratt's attorney said he was doing well at the Salvation army, but the problem is he wasn't supposed to leave Camillus House without receiving permission. He had switched his residence, a second violation of his probation, and was arrested in January of 2025.

[Reporter]

At a court hearing on April 2, a witness from Camilla's house testified that Pratt had threatened him. The judge found that met the threshold that Pratt was a danger to the community.

[David Shutes]

The court cannot find that he's not a danger.

[Reporter]

I do find that he is a danger. And I'm sentencing him to the bottom of the guidelines.836.33 months in Florida state prison.

[David Shutes]

So the judge revoked Pratt's probation and sentenced him at age 47 to an astonishing 69 years in prison. The rest of his life.

[Camille Hamilton]

It happened. He's going away. He's not gonna come back.

[David Shutes]

Camille Hamilton has had 14 surgeries to repair the damage caused by Kevin Pratt's bullet. Almost all of the cost of her medical care has come from her own pocket.

[Camille Hamilton]

I undergo so many surgeries. I'm never gonna see from my left eye. Never. And my left ears are never gonna hear from my left ears again. Never because all the bone in the left side was shattered. It shattered. There was no bone.

[David Shutes]

She still has one more surgery, but her damage is permanent and the real wound will never heal. Her daughter Nikki was everything to Camille.

[Camille Hamilton]

She's my only child. This man took everything from me when he took away my child.

[Angie Demichel]

I have to relive this so nobody not to tell me that I don't remember this man. That even child life she did my dick. Little girl, my only child. Sometime I wake up, I talk to Nikki, I write to her. I tell her every night, mommy love you.

[David Shutes]

In Jamaica when she was growing up, Nikki would often lie on top of the roof and count the stars. Sometimes Camille would lie down with her.

[Angie Demichel]

She always made me laugh when I'm sad. We used to dance together to do everything together. Not that they go by at all. Miss her. Nobody knows my pain.

[David Shutes]

On April 4, 2025, Kevin Pratt's lawyer notified the court that he will appeal his 69 year sentence. Now I want to take you back in time and make a four minute drive from Encino street east to another quiet street in Miramar, Florida. This is number 8801 South Crescent Drive. It's April 30, 1997. Inside this house is another horse horrifying murder scene, one so heartbreaking that it is still etched in the minds of first responders Today, nearly three decades later, to this day, I can close my eyes and see that crime scene. In a new season of felonious Florida coming May 6th, we go inside that house and retrace the steps of detectives as they search for a cold blooded killer and explore why this case has been said so difficult to crack.

[Angie Demichel]

This is the one case that I never put away.

[David Shutes]

Follow Felonious Florida on social media for updates and subscribe to the show now on the Wondery App, Apple Podcast or Spotify to be notified as soon as these chilling new episodes drop. You can binge all the first four seasons of Felonious Florida ad free right now on Wondery. Start your free trial today. Felonious Florida is a production of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in association with Wondery. This special episode was reported by Angie Demichel, sound designed by Sean Pitts and editing by Robin Webb. Gretchen Day Bryant is our executive editor and I'm David Schutz, host and producer of Fallonias Florida. Follow Felonious Florida Season 4 in the Wondery app. You can binge the entire series early and ad free right now by joining Wondery in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts.

[Lindsey Graham]

Or Spotify in 1992, federal agents surrounded a remote cabin in the mountains of Idaho. It belonged to Randy Weaver, a Christian survivalist with links to the far right. Weaver was wanted on a minor weapons charge, but a series of blunders and misunderstandings turned the situation into an armed and dead standoff. Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of Wondry show American Scandal. We bring to life some of the biggest controversies in U.S. history presidential lies, environmental disasters and corporate fraud. In our latest series, a family of religious fanatics moves to Ruby Ridge in northern Idaho to wait out the apocalypse. But their paranoia and suspicion of authority lead to a confrontation with federal law enforcement and their own personal Armageddon. Follow American Scandal on the Wonder Yap or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad free and be the first to binge newest seasons only on Wondery Plus. You can join Wondery plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today.