‘You can rot in there:’ Cocoa man accused of pointing shotgun at woman

Kevin Heffernan, 35, faces charges of aggravated assault and firearm possession

Kevin Heffernan, 35 (Brevard County Sheriff's Office)

COCOA, Fla. – A Cocoa man was arrested on Sunday morning after a woman told deputies he had pointed a shotgun at her, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said they were called to a home along Cedar Creek Drive on Sunday around 5:03 a.m. after receiving reports about the “disturbance.” Upon arrival, they found the woman outside the home who had escaped through a window, deputies said.

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In an affidavit, deputies said they learned that the woman had been living at the home with 35-year-old Kevin Heffernan.

According to deputies, the woman told them she had gotten up from bed to get a drink from the refrigerator, but Heffernan was agitated due to deputies having already been called to the house earlier that night.

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Heffernan made statements about shooting the woman, who tried to get her cell phone and call for help, the affidavit shows. However, Heffernan took the phone away before she could grab it, preventing her from calling police, deputies stated.

The woman told investigators that Heffernan then went to the bedroom to grab a shotgun and ammunition, court records say.

Detectives said Heffernan returned to the woman and pointed the loaded shotgun in her face, saying nothing. However, he eventually walked out of the room, closing the door and stating, “You can rot in there,” deputies said.

The woman’s mother was also in the home and had witnessed what happened, according to investigators.

Heffernan was arrested and taken into custody. Following a search of the home, investigators said they also found:

  • 226.5 grams of methamphetamine
  • 5.17 pounds of cannabis
  • Several ounces of THC Honey Oil
  • 22 THC Lollipops
  • Several hundred rounds of ammunition
  • An AR-15 Palmetto Arms rifle
  • A Remington 22 caliber rifle
  • A 12-gauge Tri Star shotgun
  • A Ruger 9 millimeter handgun
  • A Charter Arms revolver

According to deputies, Heffernan is a convicted felon, which meant that he was legally restricted from owning firearms.

Heffernan later confessed to possessing the narcotics and guns found within the home, detectives said. He also admitted to selling cannabis to try to earn more money, according to the affidavit.

Heffernan faces charges of battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, hindering communications to law enforcement, five counts of possessing firearms as a convicted felon, trafficking in methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. He is held on a bond of $247,000.

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