Corinne Avenue homicide victim, alleged shooter were once friends

A feud between friends led to the shooting death of Matt Hanson on Corinne Avenue in Port Charlotte, according to a newly released arrest affidavit.

The affidavit for James Andrew Gainvors, who turned himself in on Wednesday, details the escalating resentment between Hanson and Gainvors, 36, which resulted in a confrontation over Fourth of July fireworks.

Gainvors is accused of shooting 39-year-old Hanson in the chest on July 5, all of it caught on Ring camera footage, according to the arrest report.

The morning before the shooting, the Gainvors family reported Hanson for allegedly setting off a firework that caught fire near their home. They also went to the Charlotte County courthouse and requested a temporary protection order.

The families have known each other for about six years and used to host gatherings in their neighborhood, according to the affidavit.

Records show Hanson and Gainvors were involved in an altercation in 2018 where Hanson was arrested for disorderly intoxication, battery on an officer and resisting arrest without violence.

The 2018 report states that Hanson was yelling at Gainvors’ 7-year-old daughter over a bike. When Gainvors approached, Matthew grabbed him by the shirt. A woman attempted to keep the two men from fighting, but Hanson and she became physical. Gainvors tried to separate them, but suffered punches, according to the report.

In the end, the woman and Gainvors both had to keep Hanson pinned to the ground until a Charlotte County deputy arrived, which is when Hanson struck the deputy in the chest, according to the report.

Gainvors told deputies during his interview after the homicide arrest that he did not wish to pursue charges during the 2018 incident. Hanson went on to plead no contest and was found guilty of disorderly intoxication and resisting without violence, records show. His charge for battery on a law enforcement officer was dropped.

“Once the case was resolved the no contact order was lifted,” the 2023 arrest report states. “(Gainvors) said it took a few months for everything to calm down, but they were still friends.”

During their latest incident that ended in homicide, Gainvors told authorities he was outside of his home fixing his Ring camera, while Hanson was unloading camping equipment from this car, according to the affidavit.

The two had argued the previous night over fireworks, which is why the Gainvors family filed for a protection order.

Hanson began screaming obscenities at Gainvors, who went inside his home but opened a window to listen to what was being said.

Hanson was driving away, but then abruptly stopped his vehicle, got out and yelled: “Come [expletive] get some, come get some, come the [expletive] out.”

Gainvors walked out his front door and lifted his shirt to show his gun. Hanson challenged him to a fight but added he didn’t have a weapon on him.

“Stand your ground [expletive], let’s go,” Hanson said. “You wanna pull a gun out on me you better use it [expletive].”

Hanson then walked onto the property, stopping in the middle of the front yard, with his hands placed on his hips, reportedly chiding Gainvors to shoot.

Gainvors shot one round, striking him in the chest. The injured man made it back to his home, directly across the street from the Gainvors’ home, where he collapsed. First responders did what they could, but he was transported to a hospital where he died.

Gainvors told detectives he shot because he was all that stood between him and his family.

He told investigators, “he was tired of living in fear and constantly looking over his shoulder.”

Investigators had said Gainvors was cooperative during the investigation. Hanson’s family previously told WINK News they wanted to know why Gainvors had not been arrested yet.

Gainvors was arrested almost two weeks later.

During a first appearance hearing on Thursday, a judge set bond at $500,000. He is scheduled for arraignment on Aug. 28.