A Palm Beach County Fire Rescue captain who was shot by a man had sent him text messages prior to the shooting about buying and selling prescription drugs, according to new court filings.

J.B. Rind was arrested earlier this month in connection with the shooting death of 48-year-old James Gilliard.

The incident took place Nov. 2nd, and when investigators questioned Rind, he told police he accidentally “shot his friend in the stomach while showing him a firearm.”

Palm Beach Gardens police arrested Rind, 63, on charges of manslaughter and improper exhibition of a firearm.

With a new discovery in the case, Rind is now charged with third-degree murder, trafficking in morphine, conspiracy to sell morphine, conspiracy to sell oxycodone and conspiracy to sell amphetamines.

The new charges were filed Wednesday by Palm Beach County prosecutors.

According to a new probable cause affidavit, state attorney’s office investigator John P. Boyle discovered that Rind and Gilliard exchanged at least 853 text messages between Dec. 25, 2019, and Nov. 2, when Gilliard was fatally wounded. The text messages revealed that Rind, his roommate, and Gilliard were engaged in an ongoing conspiracy to distribute narcotics.

When the two met for a meeting on Nov. 2., the affidavit alleges, Rind messages Gilliard and asks to “play let’s make a deal.” According to the affidavit, in the same message, Rind claims that he needs “a financial favor” and “will throw in” his Smith & Wesson 9mm revolver which is the same gun that was used to kill Gilliard.

Several prescription drugs were found in the center console of Gilliard’s Ford F150, including Xanax, morphine and a Mexican brand of oxycodone, Boyle explained in the affidavit. Gilliard’s toxicology report also revealed that he had amphetamines, alprazolam, morphine and oxycodone in his system at the time of his death.

Boyle said prosecutors concluded that Rind committed third-degree murder “for the shooting death of his co-conspirator that occurred during the ongoing conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and morphine.”

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue has not commented on the allegations. The investigation is ongoing.

Rind is currently out of jail on bond. An arraignment has been set for Dec. 10.