Dade city man convicted of murder at 14, then exonerated, hopes to make most of second chance

Genevieve Curtis

DADE CITY, Fla. - A Pasco County man was arrested for murder at 14 years old and sentenced to life in prison.

Harleme Larry is now a free man. He was exonerated in 2019 and is now trying to use his story to help others from going down the same path he did.

"I left as a child, came back as an adult," said Harleme Larry, walking down a Dade City Street.

At 29 years old, he is on a much different path than the one he was on when he was 14.

"For them to say life in prison. You ain't never coming home. That's an eye-opener. I don't want no one to ever have to go through that. If they can listen to someone who been through that," said Larry.

In 2010, Larry was arrested and charged with killing Agustin Hernandez, a father of two. Investigators said Larry and another man approached Hernandez with friends and tried to rob them. One of the men handed over $4.

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"He admitted to shooting this person for probably $4," a Pasco County investigator told FOX 13 in 2010.

Larry was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Life before prison was not easy for Larry. His mom was murdered when he was three. His grandmother raised him until she got sick. He said prison saved his life.

"I know I could have been dead. I know I could have," said Larry.

In August 2015, Pasco County Circuit Judge Pat Siracusa resentenced Larry to a term of 40 years. Prison records said that Larry was dedicated to rehabilitating himself.

Judge Siracusa wrote that Larry "had a tragic upbringing and was given very little chance to succeed in life."

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In 2018, on a direct appeal, Larry’s conviction was reversed and he was granted a new trial. He said his confession was coerced. His attorneys argued the 14-year-old took the rap for an older friend.

A second jury found him not guilty – though not guilty is not the same as being innocent. Larry told FOX 13 he did commit the murder he was accused of.

"I'm sorry for the loss because I never had my mom. I never had my father. So I already know what that's doing to the (victim’s) children. I understand. And that's something that I got to live with… I apologize. I was just a kid. But at the same time, that doesn't give me a reason to take another person's life," he told FOX 13.

In the five and a half years since his release, Larry said he's stayed out of trouble, he got a job and started sharing his experience on TikTok, getting hundreds of messages from people who identify with him.

"I 've been homeless, sleeping outside and everything, but I still didn't go back that route because I see there's a better way. There's a better way," he said.

Neighbors have encouraged him to share his story.

"I’ve told him this before, he could touch so many youth out here, all of these troubled you out here," a neighbor named LaToya told FOX13.

"I’m trying, I’m trying," Larry assured her.

Back in 2010, a Pasco County investigator told FOX 13 that Larry's age was unusual.

"It's been a while since it's been someone this young arrested for a crime this serious," they said.

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Sadly, it's become far too common. Larry sees himself in those teens.

"I want to try to give back and to the community because me being where I’ve been and being at the bottom for so long, I know what we truly need to do to help. I believe I really do have the recipe to over time, stop all the type of violence that goes around," he said.

A recipe to reach kids he relates to.

"Focus on going to school, getting your education, even though school you might not want to be there in the long run. That could do good for you. Chase your dream and enjoy it. If I could go back in time and I knew everything I know now, I would change the decision that I made at the time because I would have all the knowledge that I have now," he said.

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