Florida man charged in Christmas Day murder of half brother in Naperville

A Florida man has been charged with murdering his half brother on Christmas Day in unincorporated DuPage County near Naperville.

Kendall Yarborough, 28, of Palm Harbor, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

About 3:06 p.m. Dec. 25, DuPage County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call of an individual who had been shot at a home in unincorporated Naperville located in the 25W0-100 block of Wood Court.

Upon their arrival, deputies found the victim, James Watson, inside the home with a gunshot to the abdomen. Watson was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead by medical staff, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.

After an investigation into the shooting, it is alleged Watson, who was downstairs, was upset that he could not find his cellphone and slammed a card table on the floor at which time Yarborough, who was upstairs, shot down toward Watson striking him in the abdomen, according to the release.

After the shooting, family members called 911 and rendered aid to Watson. When processing the scene, authorities found a 9mm Sig Sauer P-365X handgun and one spent 9mm bullet casing. Yarborough was arrested at the residence, according to the release.

“On Christmas Day, James Watson lost his life after his half brother, Kendall Yarborough, allegedly shot him in the abdomen while James was looking for his cellphone,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “This senseless act of violence will not go unpunished. To James’ family and friends, I offer my sincere condolences and wish them strength as they mourn the loss of a family member and come to terms with another family member accused of his murder.”

“It is horrible that a tragedy occurred on Christmas,” DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick said in the release. “It goes to show that domestic violence can occur in any home and that’s why we take domestic related incidents seriously at the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office.”