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The Villages
Friday, March 29, 2024

Atlanta man accused of killing two Leesburg women allegedly confesses

James Kenneth Porteous

The Atlanta man accused of killing two Leesburg women allegedly confessed to a neighbor and Lake County sheriff’s deputies as they arrived at the burning residence Tuesday morning.

James Kenneth Porteous, 57, has been charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder. He is being held on no bond in the Lake County Jail and is due in court Aug. 3 at 8:30 a.m.

Sheriff’s deputies and crews from Leesburg Fire Rescue responded to the mobile home on E. Dale Street in Leesburg on Tuesday morning after receiving 911 calls about a shooting. When deputies arrived, they found the residence on fire and saw Porteous exiting the carport of the home. He allegedly uttered that he had shot two people and they were inside the burning structure, a Lake County Sheriff’s Office report states.

Deputies say Porteous told them who was inside the home and said that two firearms could be found on the side of the burning residence. Deputies took Porteous into custody and secured him inside a patrol vehicle and read him his rights, the report says, adding that he asked to speak with an attorney.

A neighbor told deputies he heard gunshots and went outside to investigate. He said he saw the mobile home on fire and noticed Porteous standing in the carport. He said Porteous admitted “he had just shot two people inside” and set the residence on fire, the report says.

Deputies later checked on Porteous’ well-being and he asked them if they had collected the firearms. They then secured the scene and called the sheriff’s office Criminal and Crime Scene Investigation unit.

Crews from Lake County Fire Rescue extinguished the blaze and discovered two burned bodies inside the residence. Deputies also located a pistol and two ammunition magazines sitting in a recliner inside the carport, the report says.

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