George Zimmerman

George Michael Zimmerman was born on October 5, 1983, in Manassas, Virginia,[34] and is the son of Robert Zimmerman Sr, a retired Virginia magistrate,and Peruvian-born Gladys Zimmerman, growing up in what his father described as a "multiracial family".Zimmerman's height and weight was not listed on the Sanford police report, although family friend Joe Oliver said Zimmerman is 5'8" tall and weighs 170 lbs. Zimmerman's voter registration record lists him as Hispanic. In 2009, he moved with his wife to The Retreat at Twin Lakes in Sanford, Florida, a multi-ethnic gated community, where the shooting occurred. He was employed as an insurance underwriter prior to the shooting and attended Seminole State College. His goal was to become a police officer.
Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee said that Zimmerman had cooperated with investigators. Zimmerman's first attorney first made a statement about the shooting on March 24, 2012. On April 10, 2012, Zimmerman's legal counsel held a press conference to say that they were not representing him any longer as they had not had any contact with him for several days and did not know his current location. The next day, April the 11th, Zimmerman turned himself in after being charged with second-degree murder.
Zimmerman's role in the neighborhood watch
As the only person to volunteer when the homeowners association wanted to organize a community watch, Zimmerman was appointed coordinator by his neighbors, according to Wendy Dorival, Neighborhood Watch organizer for the Sanford Police Department. The homeowner's association told residents who saw suspicious activity to call Zimmerman if they could not contact the police. "He [Zimmerman] once caught a thief and an arrest was made," said Cynthia Wibker, secretary of the homeowners association.


Police had been called to The Retreat at Twin Lakes 402 times from January 1, 2011, to February 26, 2012. Zimmerman was the caller on 12 of those calls in that time frame. Crimes committed at The Retreat in the year prior to Martin's death included eight burglaries, nine thefts and one shooting. The City of Sanford posted a "George Zimmerman 911 Call History" listing 46 event reports naming George Zimmerman as the caller between 2004 and the night of the shooting. 

Zimmerman was licensed to carry a firearm. Sanford police chief Bill Lee stated that neighborhood watch volunteers are not encouraged to carry a gun but have a Constitutional right to do so. Lee further stated, "Mr. Zimmerman was not acting outside the legal boundaries of Florida Statute by carrying his weapon when this incident occurred.