CITRUS COUNTY, FL. – On December 27, at approximately 9:30 p.m., the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) communications center received a call in reference to a shooting that had just occurred off South Great Oaks Drive in Floral City.
Within minutes, deputies arrived on the scene and located victim one, a 27-year-old white male with multiple gunshot wounds who stated he had been shot and described the vehicle in which the suspects possibly fled.
While rendering aid to the victim, the deputies saw a vehicle matching the description roughly 50 yards away.
After ensuring the victim’s safety, deputies approached the vehicle where they discovered a second victim, a 21-year-old white male who had also been shot multiple times.
Despite attempting life-saving efforts on the scene, victim two’s injuries were not survivable.
Major Crimes Detective Dan Slingerland responded to the scene and began working on this case and the events leading up to the shooting. During his investigation, Detective Slingerland identified two suspects, 20-year-old Jevaris Nathan Dortch and 20-year-old David Julian Murrell, both from Floral City.
Based upon the investigation, Detective Slingerland believes the robbery was the motive behind the shooting.
In less than 24 hours after the incident, arrest warrants were obtained for both Dortch and Murrell, and they were taken into custody by 5 p.m. on December 28.
“Cases like these are devastating for our community,” said Sheriff Prendergast. “Although, the first victim, in this case, was lucky to survive, another was murdered during this failed robbery. Thanks to the diligent work of Detective Slingerland, our community now has some answers and our victims will have justice. Consequently, these two young defendants will spend the rest of their lives in prison because of their poor decisions.”
Their charges are as follows: (No Bond)
Jevaris Dortch: Premeditated Murder, Attempted Premeditated Murder, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Shoot/Throw Deadly Missile into Dwelling/Conveyance.
David Murrell: Premeditated Murder, Attempted Premeditated Murder, and Shoot/Throw Deadly Missile into Dwelling/Conveyance.
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