HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. – After roughly 90 minutes of deliberation on Friday, August 23, a jury convicted 31-year-old Isaac Troy Lemons of Manslaughter and Sale of a Controlled Substance in the drug-related death of 18-year-old Dylan Joseph Thornton.
The Honorable Judge Daniel B. Merritt immediately ordered Lemons into custody, with sentencing scheduled for November 7, 2024.
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“This case is another tragic example of a young life lost due to illicit drugs and the greed of others,” said Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “The defendant’s actions demonstrated a severe disregard for human life, contributing to an already dangerous situation.”
Lemons’ case stemmed from his 2015 arrest following the death of Dylan Thornton, who went missing after an 18th birthday party in September of that year.
After an extensive search by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), Dylan’s body was discovered on September 15, 2015, south of the Duke Energy transfer station in Spring Hill.
The Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be Alpha-PVP toxicity, also known as “Flakka,” a dangerous synthetic drug similar to bath salts.
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HCSO’s investigation revealed that Lemons, who had been hired as a DJ for the party, sold what was believed to be “Molly” but was actually “Flakka.” The drugs were distributed to others at the party, including Dylan. After leaving the party under the influence, Dylan and a friend became disoriented and eventually parted ways, leading to the tragic outcome.
Lemons’ original trial in the summer of 2021 ended in a hung jury, but after the retrial began on August 19, 2024, the jury delivered a guilty verdict. The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Robert Lewis and Melissa Underwood, with key testimony from Hernando County Sheriff’s Office investigators and medical examiners Dr. Wolf and Dr. Goldberger.
Lemons now faces sentencing for his role in Dylan Thornton’s death.
In a statement to the Tampa Free Press, Tom Lemons, Isaac Troy Lemons’ father, said, “As tragic as it is to lose a child for any reason, and my heart goes out to Dillon’s family, my son is not the person responsible for his death. The State’s ‘star witness’ is guilty of this crime. It is well known in Hernando County that Sheriff Al Nienhuis targeted my family for publishing multiple exposés into his criminal activity. Additionally, the State got a ‘second bite at the apple’ by retrying my son when 5 out of 6 jurors found him not guilty the first time. This is a classic case of malicious prosecution, and it stems from a journalist just doing his job. If you want the backstory, just watch my documentary.”
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