Port Charlotte family expresses vindication after man found guilty for manslaughter

It was an emotional day in court after a jury found a man guilty of shooting and killing his former friend and neighbor.

James Gainvors now faces up to 15 years in prison for manslaughter, all because of a fight that went too far in Port Charlotte.

The verdict came down late Wednesday night in court.

Matt Hanson and Gainvors’ families were in tears, holding each other and crying; Gainvors himself became distraught.

When Gainvors heard his guilty verdict guilty of manslaughter, he cried out that he wanted to go home.

Hanson’s girlfriend felt some compassion for Gainvors’ family.

“I feel sorry for his kids,” said Amber Zaph. “He wanted to go home to be with his family. They can at least send him postcards and talk to him. Our kids cannot, so he destroyed multiple families, multiple people.”

Zaph said the verdict felt like justice.

Gainvors killedthe father of her child on July 5, after a fight over fireworks.

Zaph said even though it felt like justice, the guilty verdict cannot and will not bring Hanson back.

She said she fears for their 14-year-old son, and even though it’s hard, she will stay strong.

“He’s just… He misses going fishing. He misses playing video games with his dad and misses going to Universal with him,” said Zaph.

Gainvors’ friend of 10 years, Crystal Ortiz, said she knows the Hanson family is hurting, but she said Gainvors’ family is hurting too.

“This is gonna be very, very hard on them, and he was a great dad who was all about his kids, so it’s going to be very, very hard for them, but we’ll be there for them,” said Ortiz.

Ortiz still believes Gainvors was acting in self-defense, but the jury disagreed.

​​Gainvors will be sentenced on Jan. 22 at 9:30 a.m.