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(Citrus County, FL) This morning, Judge Healis sentenced 30-year-old Immanuel Zachariah Smith to 5 years in the Florida Department of Corrections followed by two years of felony probation for his 2025 arrest.  

“This sentencing is not shocking considering the severity of the crime committed by this defendant,” said Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “Linemen shouldn’t have to worry about being shot at while simply doing their jobs. They’re out there working to restore power and keep our communities running. No worker should ever have to fear for their life just for showing up to work. There is absolutely no excuse for this defendant putting these workers in fear for their lives.”

Smith was found guilty by a jury back on July 16, 2026, on two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon after taking the case to trial.

“Violence against our linemen and employees is never acceptable. They already have one of the hardest jobs in the world working on high voltage power lines,” said Withlacoochee Rive Electric Cooperative Executive Vice-President and General Manager David Lambert II. “I personally went out there that night to see the conditions of where these employees were working. They were never on the defendant’s property. With the company truck’s lights flashing, there’s no way this defendant didn’t know this was an electric truck – it’s clearly identifiable. The safety of our employees is paramount to us and I am glad its also of importance to Judge Healis.”

On December 5, 2025, deputies with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) where dispatched to a residence off North Nicosia Point in Dunnellon regarding a shooting. Responding deputies learned from both victims, who were linemen with an electric company, that they had arrived at the address in their electric cooperative bucket truck equipped with yellow flashing lights to fix a reported power outage.

While working to correct the issue, both linemen walked down the property line to inspect another power pole when the defendant, later identified as Smith, started shouting obscenities at the pair. Smith stated to both victims that they were trespassing before firing multiple shots from a firearm. In fear of being shot, both victims took cover behind a nearby recreational vehicle before yelling out multiple times, “Power Company.”  The victims indicated to officials after yelling this to the defendant, Smith replied by saying, “I don’t give a “expletive.’”

Law enforcement made contact with Smith, who advised he saw both individuals on his property and went inside to retrieve his gun. After exiting the home, he yelled to the individuals that they were trespassing before firing multiple shots into the ground. During their investigation, deputies determined that the victims were never on the defendant’s property trespassing, only along the fence line during the commission of the duties to restore power in the area. Smith was arrested and charged.  

When Chief Executive Officer Curtis Wynn of SECO heard about this case, he said this, “The safety of our employees is THE top priority for SECO’s management, the board , and our fellow utility workers.  We welcome stronger enforcement of laws that protect SECO’s employees and utility workers from fatal and injurious threats when they do their jobs to provide reliable service to our members.  At times, doing so requires access to private property, at which times giving property owners proper respect, identification, and reasons for being on their property are common practices.”

The Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office is thankful to Sheriff David Vincent’s team at the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office for responding to this incident and investigating this crime. The office is also thankful to our electric cooperative partners at Withlacoochee and SECO for their collaboration in propelling our mission to keep our linemen and utility workers safe. And lastly, thank you to Assistant State Attorney Tara Hartman for successfully prosecuting this case on behalf of the victims involved.

Published on 08/21/2026.

(Hernando, FL) “For more than 30 years, Jennifer’s family, investigators and the communities of Pasco and Hernando Counties waited for answers. Now, this long running cold case has reached its end,” stated State Attorney Bill Gladson.

After more than three decades, a Hernando County jury has found 64-year-old Jeffrey Norman Crum guilty of the Kidnapping, Sexual Battery and Murder of 12-year-old Jennifer Renee Odom. The State Attorney’s Office of the Fifth Judicial Circuit announced intentions to seek the Death Penalty.

This case represents one of the State Attorney’s Office’s longest-running and most closely followed cold-case investigations.  The decades-long effort to identify and prosecute the person responsible for Jennifer’s death reflects the continued commitment of investigators and prosecutors to seeking justice for victims and their families. Jennifer Odom was not forgotten. Her case was never forgotten. And the pursuit of justice never stopped.

“Today’s verdict is the result of decades of determination, perseverance and an unwavering commitment to Jennifer Odom and her family,” remarked State Attorney Bill Gladson. “We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the investigators, forensic professionals, prosecutors and countless individuals who refused to allow this case to be forgotten. My office also recognizes Jennifer’s family, who endured unimaginable loss while continuing to wait for justice. Jennifer was just 12 years old when she was taken from her family. For over 30 years, her loved ones lived without knowing who was responsible for her death. Today, a jury has held Jeffrey Crum accountable for this heinous crime.”

The case against Crum developed back on February 19, 1993, when a 12-year-old Jennifer Odom disappeared after stepping off her school bus in a rural area of Pasco County to walk home. When she failed to arrive home, an extensive search began involving law enforcement officers and community volunteers across approximately 60 square miles of rural Pasco and Hernando counties. Witnesses reported seeing a faded blue pickup truck slowly following Jennifer as she walked. One witness even testified to seeing Jennifer get into the pickup truck.

Six days later, on February 25, 1993, Jennifer’s body was discovered in an abandoned orange grove in Hernando County. Her book bag and clarinet case were not found with her body and were later discovered nearly two years later in a rural area of Hernando County in January 1995.

The investigation remained open for more than three decades as investigators continued pursuing hundreds of leads and applying advances in forensic technology. Investigators eventually identified similarities between Jennifer’s case and a January 1992 attack involving another teenage girl in Pasco County. Jeffrey Norman Crum was later convicted in that earlier case and was serving two life sentences for sexual battery.

A DNA breakthrough in the Pasco County case in 2015 helped investigators identify a member of Crum’s family through a familial DNA search, ultimately leading investigators to Crum in the Hernando County case. Investigators then developed additional evidence connecting Crum to Jennifer’s disappearance and death, including evidence concerning his ownership of a blue truck and his familiarity with the area where Jennifer was taken and ultimately found.

During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence concerning Jennifer’s disappearance, the circumstances surrounding the discovery of her body, forensic evidence and the alleged similarities between Jennifer’s case and the earlier attack.

Thank you to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, specifically Detective George Loydgren, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, especially Cold Case Detective David Boyer, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Biology Division, particularly Analyst Vicki Bellino, and State Attorney Bruce Bartlett’s Office for being instrumental in solving both the Hernando and Pasco cases. Assistant State Attorneys Richard Buxman and Donald McCathran prosecuted this case.

Published on 08/20/2026.

(Hernando, FL) In the courtroom of the Honorable Judge Daniel B. Merritt, jurors found 62-year-old Robert Daniel David Myers guilty of various sexual offenses committed on a child.

Myers was convicted of two counts of Sexual Battery upon a Child Under 12 Years of Age, two counts of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation of a Child, and two counts Sexual Battery on a Child by a Person in Familial or Custodial Authority.

Myers was arrested in January of 2024 following a Hernando County Sheriff’s Office investigation. Deputies were investigating another crime when they received a letter detailing sexual abuse of a minor child. Officials were able to identify the victim in the letter.

Law enforcement then contacted the victim who was reluctant at first but then advised of numerous incidents of sexual abuse committed by Myers.  Detectives launched a thorough investigation which revealed Myers had abused the victim since the victim was 6, with the Hernando crimes occurring when the victim was 11 years old. The investigation resulted in the arrest of Myers for sexual battery and lewd and lascivious behavior. Myers had previously been convicted of four counts of child molestation in another state prior to moving to Florida.    

“Any lead, any information, is always just one more step closer to justice,” said Chief Walter Forgie. “That’s exactly what happened in this case. After obtaining information that this abuse occurred, detectives worked swiftly to investigate and verify the accounts given. With that, we were able to build a solid case that unarguably proved the defendant committed these awful acts.”

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Angelina Rodeo despite the overwhelming challenges to secure a guilty verdict in a case where physical evidence could not be presented due to the extensive timeframe of when the crimes occurred and the delay in reporting.\

Published on 08/07/2026.

(Orange County, FL) Today, State Attorney Bill Gladson of the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office announces the Death sentence of 59-year-old DeMorris Andy Hunter for the 2002 murder of 38-year-old Theresa Ann Green. Hunter was sentenced to death by Judge Lisa T. Munyon, after jurors found the defendant guilty and recommended the death penalty earlier this year.     

“I see no other punishment fitting for this defendant who ruthlessly took the life of Theresa Green,” said Bill Gladson, the State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. “While imposing this sentence, the court said may God have mercy upon this defendant. While the Court has rendered justice under the law, the final judgement does rests with God – and may he levy an even greater punishment knowing the defendant denied every measure of mercy to his victim.”

On May 26, 2002, Hunter and the victim were both guests at a party hosted by a couple in their apartment building. They left the party together, and witnesses saw them fall down the stairs before entering the victim’s apartment. Hours later, Hunter returned to the apartment and asked a neighbor for a favor. He gave the neighbor keys to a white van and requested that he follow him while he drove the victim’s car, dropping it off in a parking lot.

Officers with the Orlando Police Department received a missing persons report for Green. Shortly later, authorities with the Sanford Police Department located the victim’s car at a Walgreens and discovered her deceased body inside the trunk. The Medical Examiner’s Office determined the victim’s death to be a homicide by manual strangulation.

During the investigation, law enforcement was able to confirm the victim was last seen alive with the defendant. At the time they spoke to the defendant, Hunter was serving a 110-year sentence for another murder that occurred in Oakland, California.

The case was presented by Chief of Homicide Prosecution Richard Buxman and Assistant State Attorney Kenneth Nunnelley, who have worked tirelessly to pursue justice on behalf of the victims and the people of the great State of Florida.   

Published on 08/04/2026.

(Fifth Judicial Circuit, FL) State Attorney Bill Gladson of the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office (SAO) announces the release of his office’s first-ever Annual Report highlight a historic year of service and public safety.

The report reflects a year marked by significant courtroom successes, meaningful community engagement, and an unwavering commitment to protecting the citizens of the Fifth Judicial Circuit.

“Our mission has always been simple: seek justice, protect victims, and keep our communities safe,” said State Attorney Bill Gladson. “This report showcases the extraordinary work of our prosecutors, investigators, victim advocates, and professional staff who serve our communities every day. We believe transparency builds trust, and this report demonstrates our commitment to both.”

Among the report’s highlights, the office ranked No. 1 in the State of Florida for prison admissions, reflecting the office’s continued focus on holding violent and repeat offenders accountable and ensuring those who threaten public safety face appropriate consequences.

The report also highlights several noteworthy prosecutions from 2025, including:

• High-profile homicides and violent crime convictions;
• Successful prosecutions of child predators and offenders who preyed upon vulnerable victims;
• Major narcotics trafficking and organized crime cases;
• Significant DUI manslaughter, sexual battery, and repeat violent offender prosecutions that resulted in landmark sentences.

Beyond the courtroom, the report illustrates the office’s commitment to prevention and public service through extensive community outreach. Throughout 2025, members of the office participated in educational programs, crime prevention initiatives, victim advocacy events, youth engagement programs, and senior safety presentation, as well as partnered with various law enforcement agencies, schools, and community organizations across the circuit.   

The inaugural Annual Report was entirely developed in-house and serves as a reflection of the office’s dedication to transparency, accountability, and public service.

The full 2025 Annual Report is available on the SAO’s website at sao5.org, under the Community tab, click Annual Report.

Published on 08/03/2026.

(Marion County, FL) Yesterday morning, 31-year-old Julio Cesar Bautista entered a no contest plea before Judge Barbara Kissner-Kwatkosky just shortly after his jury trial began.  Bautista, who invoked speedy trial, was adjudicated guilty on all counts.

Bautista was convicted of Aggravated Battery causing Great Bodily Harm with a Firearm, two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. Following his conviction, Judge Kissner-Kwatkosky sentenced Bautista to 13 years in the Florida Department of Corrections with a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years.

On March 9, 2025, law enforcement officers with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Amex Food Mart located off Nort West 110^th Avenue in Ocala for a battery that had just occurred. Responding deputies learned from witnesses on scene that the defendant, Bautista, had just fled the scene after attacking two victims.

Law enforcement learned that while one victim was cleaning up the facility after a party, Bautista approached the victim and began getting into an argument. Bautista was then seen grabbing the victim by the neck and pushing the victim into the wall before pulling out a firearm and striking the victim over the head. The victim had a laceration above the eye and first responders observed blood in the corner of the room where the battery occurred.

During the battery, a second victim who observed Bautista attack the first victim, attempted to intervene. While attempting to break up the fight, Bautista’s firearm was knocked out of his hand onto the floor. The defendant then picked up the firearm and pointed it at both victims as they exited the building.

Bautista was later located during a traffic stop and arrested in this case.

Assistant State Attorney Janine Nixon ensured the successful prosecution of this case.

Published on 07/30/2026.

(Fifth Judicial Circuit, FL) “Today marks the final chapter in a case that has spanned decades. While no legal proceeding can restore the life that was taken, this execution represents the final administration of justice for the young victim and her family, who have endured years of unimaginable loss while waiting for this case to reach its lawful conclusion,” stated State Attorney Bill Gladson.

Despite her current state today, Dorothy Tula, mother of Teresa McAbee, said this, “I’d like to thank everyone who has worked on this case for everything they have done. My family and I are glad this day is finally here- because it’s about justice for my daughter and remembering her, not the man who stole her future.”

In May of 1987, James Aren Duckett, a Mascotte Police Officer, raped and murdered 11-year-old Teresa Mae McAbee. On the night of the crime, Duckett, a 29-year-old rookie officer at the time, was the only patrol officer on duty when the child victim disappeared.  Teresa had walked to a nearby convenience store to purchase a pencil. Her body was found in a lake less than a mile from the convenience store. According to three independent witnesses, she was last seen alive getting into Duckett’s patrol car.

The medical examiner’s report determined Teresa had been sexually battered, strangled, and drowned. Distinctive tire tracks near the scene where her body had been located matched the tires on Duckett’s patrol car. Forensic examiners located Teresa’s fingerprints on the hood of Duckett’s patrol car indicating that she had been sitting backwards on the hood and had scooted up the car.

On May 10, 1988, Duckett was found guilty after his jury trial and sentenced to death. Despite the overwhelming evidence linking Duckett to the crime, and a jury finding him guilty, his defense team filed multiple motions and appeals to vacate his sentence. Throughout the appellate process, our office and the prosecutors in the office of the Attorney General, remained committed to ensuring that every filing and every legal claim was thoroughly reviewed and appropriately addressed. The appellate system exists to safeguard the integrity of our justice system, and our prosecutors worked diligently to respond to each claim presented while advocating on behalf of the victim, her family, and the people of Florida.

State Attorney Bill Gladson continued, “From the beginning of this case, the evidence established the defendant’s guilt. The physical evidence recovered, together with the facts developed during the investigation and presented in court, left no reasonable doubt as to James Duckett’s responsibility for this horrific crime. That evidence was repeatedly examined through years of judicial review and withstood extensive scrutiny.

We recognize that this case has been followed closely by our community for the past 39-years and that many citizens have long awaited its conclusion. Our office reaffirms our commitment to seeking justice with integrity, supporting victims and their families, and ensuring that the rule of law is faithfully upheld in every case we prosecute. Our thoughts remain with the victim’s loved ones as they continue to carry the loss of a young life taken far too soon.” 

Published on 07/28/2026.

(Marion County, FL) Yesterday, 61-year-old Terry Franklin Pennington was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences after being found guilty, back in June, of three counts of Lewd and Lascivious Battery of a Child 12 Years of Age but less than 16 Years of Age and one count of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation of a Child 12 Years of Age but less than 16 Years of Age.

“Children deserve to be protected, not exploited. This multiple consecutive life sentence sends a clear message that those who victimize our children will face the most severe consequences the law allows. Justice was served with this sentence,” said Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney.

The case against Pennington began on July 22, 2025, when the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) received a report from the Department of Children and Family Services regarding a sexual offense against a juvenile victim. MCSO Special Victims Unit Sergeant Larocque was assigned the case and began her investigation into the alleged offense.

In reviewing the initial report, Sergeant Larocque learned that the 14-year-old victim had been sexually battered by the defendant, Pennington, over the course of a month. Prior to the incidents, Pennington would supply marijuana to the minor child for consumption. Afterward, he would engage in illicit sexual activities with the child.  

A forensic interview was set up with the child victim at Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection. During the recorded Child Protection Team (CPT) interview, the victim detailed various sexual incidents committed by Pennington and provided critical corroborating information to support the evidence collected.

On August 1, 2025, investigators conducted an interview with the defendant. While questioning Pennington regarding the incident involving the victim, the defendant confirmed several of the facts the victim disclosed during their CPT interview. However, Pennington denied having sexual intercourse with the child.

DNA evidence collected from both the victim and defendant was submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for analysis. The returned laboratory report confirmed DNA collected from the victim’s person matched that of the DNA collected from Pennington.

Assistant State Attorneys Madison Kirkland and Madison Bryan successfully prosecuted this case.

Published on 07/17/2026.

(Lake County, FL) Today, State Attorney Bill Gladson of the Fifth Judicial Circuit, alongside Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia and Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell, announces the grand jury indictment of 44-year-old Shahidul Islam.

A grand jury was convened earlier today to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to charge Shahidul Islam. The grand jury returned a true bill of indictment for Premeditated First-Degree Murder with a Firearm, F.S.S. 782.04(1)(a)1, 775.087(1), 775.087(2)(a)1, 775.087(2)(a)2, and 775.087(2)(a)3.

“We appreciate the outstanding work of the investigating agencies and our federal partners whose cooperation ultimately led to the defendant’s apprehension and transfer to face justice here in Lake County,” said Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “While no prosecution can restore the life that was taken or erase the pain experienced by Monica’s family, we can pursue justice on their behalf and hold this offender accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

On May 2, 2025, Shahidual Islam did unlawfully, with premeditation, murder Monica Islam, and during the commission of the offense, Shahidul Islam actually possessed and discharged a firearm.

“No family should ever have to endure the pain of such a senseless and horrific act of violence as this one. Shahidul Islam illegally entered our country after being deported, committed this heinous crime, and then fled to a sanctuary city,” remarked Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia. “Florida will continue to stand firm against violent crime, sanctuary cities and illegal immigration and we will never apologize for putting the safety of law-abiding families first. I commend State Attorney Bill Gladson, Sheriff Payton Grinnell, and every law enforcement officer and investigator whose tireless work ensured this suspect was brought to justice. This sends a clear message: if you commit a violent crime in Florida, we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will pursue the fullest extent of the law.”

After being sentenced for his most recent criminal case for his unlawful entry into the United States, Shahidul Islam was extradited back to Lake County pursuant to his arrest warrant for first degree murder, where he remains in custody and is held without bond at the Lake County Detention Facility.

“The murder of Monica Islam is yet another example in an ever-growing list of senseless, violent crimes committed by those who are in our country illegally. I’m extremely proud of the hard work of our detectives and the interagency cooperation that led to Islam’s arrest. We hope this brings a good measure of peace and closure to Monica’s family,” stated Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell.

Given the severity of the crime as reflected in the legislature’s enactment of Florida Statute 921.1426 and the crime’s impact on the victim’s family, the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office is seeking the death penalty pursuant to Florida Statute 921.1426.

Assistant State Attorney Thomas Wieczorek is prosecuting the case.

Published on 07/08/2026.

(Marion County, FL) Today, 43-year-old Melissa Waiman Schroer was sentenced to the maximum punishment of 30 years in prison for the 2019 death of 2-month-old Wailan Roy Schroer. Back in May of this year, jurors delivered their verdict finding Schroer guilty of Aggravated Manslaughter of a Child.

“Here we have a case where one young child senselessly dies, and two other children are forever impacted by their sibling’s death,” state Chief Walter Forgie of the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office. “Given this and other contributing circumstances, our Assistant State Attorneys asked for the maximum sentence possible for Schroer and were successful in obtaining the just sentence.”

On December 11, 2019, law enforcement officers were dispatched to the Villages Hospital in reference to a deceased infant. Upon arrival, officers were informed that the infant was found unresponsive at a
residence located off Southeast 36th Avenue in Ocala, Florida, prior to being driven to the hospital.

Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the home, where the defendant advised that she had put the infant to sleep while she took a nap. Schroer was awakened by another child in the residence who indicated the victim was not breathing. At the time, Schroer informed her husband, Jeffery Schroer, that Wailan was not breathing. J. Schroer then grabbed the infant and drove him to the Villages hospital. The victim was pronounced deceased upon arrival by medical personnel.

Major Crimes Detectives separately interviewed both defendant Schroer and her husband, who gave varying accounts of events leading up to the victim’s death. On February 5, 2020, the Medical Examiner’s Office concluded its autopsy of the victim and determined the cause of death to be methamphetamine toxicity with contributing conditions of dehydration and inanition. The victim’s death was subsequently ruled a homicide. Based upon this information and a lengthy investigation, probable cause was established for the defendant and her husband’s arrest.

Authorities attempted to make contact with defendant Schroer and J. Schroer but were unsuccessful. It was later learned that the couple had fled the state and were now living in Florence, Kentucky. Both the defendant and J. Schroer were apprehended on December 10, 2021, by the Boone County Sheriff’s Office and extradited to Florida.

The defendant’s husband, J. Schroer, was charged with the same crime and is pending prosecution.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Marissa Meyer and Katrina Self.

Published on 06/29/2026.