-- February 26: Zimmerman fatally shoots an unarmed Martin in an altercation in a gated community in the town of Sanford. Police briefly detain Zimmerman, but do not arrest him.
-- March 15: As outcry over the case grows, the shooter's father Robert Zimmerman writes to the Orlando Sentinel newspaper saying his son has moved out of his Florida home after receiving death threats.
-- March 16: An audio recording of an emergency 911 call Zimmerman made that was released to the media suggests that the watchman uttered racial epithets when he opened fire. A key portion of the audio however is garbled.
-- March 19: The US Justice Department and the FBI announce they will investigate the killing for possible civil rights violations.
-- March 22: Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee says he is "temporarily removing" himself from his job, one day after city commissioners gave him a vote of no confidence. Thousands of protesters hold a peaceful but angry rally in Sanford demanding justice.
-- March 23: "If I had a son, he would look like Trayvon," President Barack Obama says, his first public comments on the Martin shooting. Florida Governor Rick Scott appoints State Attorney Angela Corey as a special prosecutor to investigate the shooting.
-- March 24: Members of the New Black Panther Party announce a $10,000 reward for Zimmerman's "capture."
-- April 10: Two lawyers who had worked for Zimmerman say they will no longer represent him because their client had cut off contact and was not following their advice. Zimmerman starts a website -- TheRealGeorgeZimmerman.com -- and solicits donations for his defense.
-- April 11: Prosecutors charge Zimmerman with second-degree murder and say he is in custody.
