A Gadsden County man on trial for strangling his friend to death then burning his body is off the hook. Eyewitness News Reporter Heather Biance was in the courtroom tonight when grief turned to disbelief.

The courtroom erupted in disbelief and anger when the verdict was handed down Tuesday night as 12 jurors found 28-year-old Dearendo Harris not guilty on murder, arson and robbery charges.

Harris was on trial for the 2008 death of 17 year old Dekendric Smith. Deputies say Harris strangled him and then set a car on fire with his body inside.

It's been more than 20 months since Smith died, but as his siblings, mother and other family members told me, not a day goes by without thinking of him.

"I think about him everyday, every single day. Living through the pain and agony my family has just experienced, it's unbelievable. I can't describe to you, how we feel," says the victim's brother, Darfonza Smith.

Harris took the stand earlier in the afternoon saying he didn't kill his friend.

Prosecutor: "You weren't involved?"
Harris: "No I wasn't"

And the jury believed him, or at least couldn't say without reasonable doubt, that he didn't strangle Smith and then set the car he was in on fire.

Although River Birch Road is dark and vacant now, this was where the 1996 Chevy Caprice was found fully engulfed last February.2008

Fire officials testified that the fire was started in the backseat on the passenger side, the same location where's Smith's body was found.

Smith's family say they were looking for closure after Tuesday's verdict, but the question of who killed Dekendric and why still remains.

Harris has been at the Leon County jail since February 2008, but was released from custody after Tuesday night's verdict.

UPDATE 7:38 PM 10/20

Harris was found not guilty on all charges. We'll have more details on Eyewitness News at 11.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE 5:35 PM 10/20

The jury just deliberated. A verdict is expected sometime this evening.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deerendo Harris took the stand Tuesday afternoon.

They took a short break at 3pm. They will return for closing arguments from the defense and prosecution.

They expect the jury to deliberate and have their verdict this evening.

We'll have more information as soon as it becomes available.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The trial for a Gadsden county man accused of killing a teen and burning his body is underway in Quincy.

Deputies say Deerendo Laqwan Harris strangled 17-year-old Dekendric Smith and then set a car on fire with Smith's body inside.

Smith's remains were found February 7th of 2008 inside of a charred car in Midway.

Deputies say Harris robbed Smith and then used a cord or rope to strangle him, then burned his body to try and cover up the crime.

Deputies say Smith only had 21 dollars on him when he was killed.