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(Lake County, FL) Today, State Attorney Bill Gladson announces the grand jury indictment of 82-year-old Vincent DiFraia of Groveland, Florida.

A grand jury was convened to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to charge Difraia for the death of 84-year-old Evelyn DiFraia. The grand jury returned a true bill of indictment for the following charge:

·MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE (PREMEDITATED) 782.04(1)(a)1

On or between April 14, 2026, and April 19, 2026, did unlawfully and from a premeditated design effect the death of a human being, Evelyn DiFraia.

The decision to file charges emphasizes the severity of the alleged offense and recognizes the significant impact the alleged crime has had on the victim and their families.

The State Attorney’s Office understands the challenges involved in prosecuting an elderly partner homicide case and assures the community that we will work hard to achieve a just resolution.

DiFraia remains in custody on a no-bond status.

Assistant State Attorney Nicholas Camuccio is prosecuting the case.

Published on 04/24/2026.

(Marion County, FL) Today, State Attorney Bill Gladson of the Fifth Judicial Circuit announces the filing of two death penalty notices in the case against 32-year-old Jeroen Jarrel Coombs of Citra, FL.

Coombs, who was indicted last month for First-Degree Murder in the Death of 3-year-old Paisley Brown, three counts of Aggravated Child Abuse, and one count of Child Abuse, is now being charged with Capital Sexual Battery. The State is seeking the death penalty for the First-Degree Murder and Capital Sexual Battery charges.

Under Florida Statute 119.071(2)(h), the identity of a victim of sexual battery is confidential and exempt from public disclosure.

Given the severity of the crime and its impact on the community, the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office has filed a notice that it intends to seek the death penalty pursuant to Florida Statutes 921.141(6)(b), 921.141(6)(d), 921.141(6)(h), 921.141(6)(l), 921.141.(6)(m), 921.1425(7)(b), 921.1425(7)(e), 921.1425(7)(h), 921.1425(7)(i), and 921.1425(7)(k).

The decision underscores the seriousness of the alleged offenses and their profound impact on the victims and their families. The State Attorney’s Office recognizes the sensitivity surrounding this matter and its broader implications for the community.

As legal proceedings unfold, our office asks for respect for the legal process as we work diligently to bring this case to a just resolution, holding the offender accountable for their actions.

Coombs will remain in custody on no-bond status at the Marion County detention facility.

Published on 04/22/2026.

(Marion County, FL) Last week, 21-year-old Erick Rico Beauvil was sentenced to 15 years in the Florida Department of Corrections after jurors found Beauvil guilty of Sexual Battery by Defendant under 18 Years of Age with a Victim 12 Years or Older.

Back on October 12, 2022, deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) responded to the AdventHealth hospital in Ocala, in reference to a sexual battery that had occurred. Officials learned from medical staff that a juvenile child had indicated they were raped and needed medical treatment.

Law enforcement made contact with the juvenile’s parent, who stated they were made aware of the incident earlier that morning. The complaint indicated the victim sent them a message stating they needed to go to the hospital because of an incident involving the defendant. The victim was transported for a forensic interview at the child advocacy center.

During the forensic interview, the victim disclosed that one night, in the weeks prior, the victim was inside their room due to a headache. While in bed, the defendant had entered the room and sat next to the victim. The victim repeatedly told Beauvil to leave, but the defendant refused. After refusing to leave, Beauvil overpowered and sexually battered the victim.

Probable cause was developed for the defendant’s arrest, and he was subsequently arrested and charged.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Katrina Self and Certified Legal Intern Delaney Kastensmidt.

Published on 04/21/2026.

(Sumter County, FL) Last week, 53-year-old Clyde Edward Johnson Jr. was found guilty by a jury on all charges. During the two-day trial, prosecutors presented irrefutable evidence that led to Johnson’s conviction of Trafficking Cocaine, Trafficking in Cathinones, Possession of a Firearm/Ammunition by a Felon, Own a Place for Trafficking/Sale/Manufacture of a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Paraphernalia.

On February 15, 2023, Johnson was arrested by detectives with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO). Detectives from SCSO’s Special Investigations Squad executed a search warrant at the premises off NE 12th Drive in Oxford, Florida. Officials were aware of ongoing narcotics sales at the property and conducted an investigation that led to the execution of the narcotics search warrant.

While detectives responded to conduct the search warrant, members of the Special Investigations Squad conducting surveillance made contact with Johnson during a traffic stop. In the defendant’s possession was a key chain that held the key to a fifth-wheel camper and the shed on the property that was the target of the search warrant. Utilizing the defendant’s camper key, detectives made entry into the fifth-wheel.

Upon entering, law enforcement located numerous bags and boxes containing various illicit narcotics that appeared to be prepackaged for sale. During the search, detectives also located a loaded Ruger firearm with additional 9mm ammunition. A criminal history check revealed that Johnson is a convicted felon and registered sexual offender. The defendant was arrested and charged.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Elizabeth Hart and Reagan Chapman.

Published on 04/20/2026.

(Orange County, FL) Today, State Attorney Bill Gladson of the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office announces the death penalty recommendation by jurors in the murder conviction of 59-year-old DeMorris Andy Hunter.

Last week, in the courtroom of Judge Lisa T. Munyon, prosecutors Richard Buxman and Kenneth Nunnelley presented the case against Hunter for the 2002 murder of 38-year-old Theresa Ann Green, securing a guilty verdict.

“These past two weeks have been grueling for the family and friends of the victim,” said Bill Gladson, the State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. “Reliving the events that occurred on the night Green’s life was taken has been nothing short of tragic. I believe this is why the jurors have recommended the most appropriate punishment for the defendant, which is the death penalty.”

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.

“At only 13 years old, I was robbed of my mother’s presence, her support, and her irreplaceable love. While other children were leaning on their mothers for guidance, I was forced to navigate the most formative years of my life in the shadow of her absence,” stated Octavius Hayes, son of the victim. “Every milestone I have reached since then has been bittersweet, marked by the hollowed space where she should have been standing…. I ask this court to recognize the permanence of this loss, and the exhaustion of a lifetime spent seeking justice.”

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 04/16/2026.

(Lake County, FL) Today, the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office of State Attorney Bill Gladson announces the conviction and sentencing of 55-year-old John Joseph Marchlewski.

In the courtroom of Judge Brian Welke, jurors found Marchlewski guilty on all 15 counts of Possession of Child Pornography (10 or More Images). Marchlewski was consecutively sentenced to 15 years in prison on each charge, cumulating a 225-year sentence.

“Of the disturbing videos this defendant possessed of very young children being sexually abused, one was less than two years old – just a toddler. The mere thought of someone abusing a toddler, or any child, for their own sexual gratification is sickening,” said Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “My office remains unwavering in combatting child sexual exploitation and abuse. Whether you are the pedophile producing the material or the deviant viewing and sharing it, we will charge you and make sure you are punished to the fullest extent possible by law.”

Marchlewski was arrested in May of 2023 following a Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) investigation after law enforcement officials received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating an online user had uploaded files containing child pornography.

During their investigation, officials determined Marchlewski, a registered sex offender, was the owner of the accounts that contained child sexual abuse material. After obtaining a search warrant, detectives responded to Marchlewski’s residence, where they made contact with the defendant and seized his cellular device.

A forensic examination of the defendant’s device was conducted, revealing the files containing the child pornography.

Assistant State Attorneys Tyler Duffy and Karli Hurbanis successfully prosecuted this case.

Published on 04/15/2026.

(Lake County, FL) Yesterday, 26-year-old Brandon Pirela was sentenced to 25 years in the Florida Department of Corrections after being found guilty of Attempted First Degree Murder with a Firearm and Conspiracy to Commit Murder following a jury trial in January.

The evidence presented at trial established that Pirela carried out a deliberate attempt to kill the victim by firing over 20 shots towards the victim after coordinating with his ex-girlfriend and co-defendant, 23-year-old Arianna Gajraj, to ambush the victim.

On December 1, 2023, the victim reported to the Clermont Police Department that while parked inside their vehicle with Gajraj, a white Camry pulled up with the driver exiting and immediately fired over 20 gunshots at the victim.

The victim was able to reverse their car and flee the area. After dropping Gajraj off, the victim responded to the police station to report the incident. The victim further stated to law enforcement that they believed Pirela was the shooter due to Pirela sending threatening messages to the victim via social media.

Officials made contact with Gajraj, who initially denied speaking with Pirela regarding her whereabouts or the shooting that had just occurred. Cell phone records were obtained by authorities. The records exposed that both Pirela and Gajraj had communicated about setting up the victim, as well as Gajraj telling Pirela where she and the victim were currently located. Both Pirela and Gajraj were arrested and charged accordingly.

Co-defendant Gajraj cooperated with the State and testified against Pirela at his jury trial. Gajraj entered a plea in March and was sentenced to three years in prison, followed by six years of probation for her role in the crime.

This case was investigated by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant State Attorneys Eddie Moffitt and Monica Bodnar successfully prosecuted this case.

Published on 04/14/2026.

(Marion County, FL) Today, State Attorney Bill Gladson of the Fifth Judicial Circuit announces a guilty verdict in the case against 43-year-old Donald Ronald Gates III, of Ocala, Florida. On April 9, 2026, a jury found Gates guilty of Human Trafficking of a Child for Commercial Sexual Activity of a Child, Lewd or Lascivious Molestation of a Child, and Engaging in an Act that Constitutes Sexual Battery upon a Child 12 Years of Age or Older but Younger than 18 Years of Age by a Person in Familial or Custodial Authority. Judge Barbara Kissner-Kwatkosky presided over the trial and sentenced the defendant to Life in prison, as required by law.

“My office, along with our law enforcement partners, has a zero tolerance policy for human trafficking and crimes committed against children,” stated Bill Gladson, State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. “This despicable defendant, who held a position of trust, harmed an innocent child. With this sentence, he will not be able to harm another child. I would like to thank the jurors for delivering justice.”

On October 6, 2025, School Resource Officer Roman-Soto of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office was notified that a student wished to report a sexual battery that had occurred. The deputy met with the victim, who provided written notes detailing the incidents that occurred. After reading the notes, the deputy spoke with the victim, who confirmed the details of the abuse committed by Gates just two days prior. The victim further advised that they were wearing the same underwear, unwashed, from the day of the incident. The underwear was collected and packaged as evidence. The victim was then transported to the Kimberly Center for a forensic interview.

During the interview, the victim described the events leading up to the incident and further advised that Gates would say things to entice the victim, including “that the victim would get more things by doing what he tells the victim to do.” The victim explained that the defendant gave them $100 as a “reward” or “bribe,” and then committed the sexual acts upon them using physical force. After the sexual battery occurred, the victim stated that the vehicle they were in got stuck in the sand, and the defendant had to call a friend to get the vehicle out. The victim provided law enforcement with the $100 bill the defendant gave to them.

While investigating the case, detectives spoke with witnesses who responded that night to assist with the stuck vehicle and informed law enforcement that they thought it was weird that Gates was at the wooded location alone with the victim during that time. Detectives also obtained cell phone records and text messages that placed the defendant at the scene where the victim stated the crime occurred. Officials then made contact with the defendant, who denied the allegations.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted a DNA comparison on the underwear collected from the victim. The biology report determined the defendant’s DNA from the sperm cell fraction was found on the victim’s underwear. Gates was arrested and charged.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Katrina Self.

Published on 4/13/2026.

(Lake County, FL) On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, a jury found 41-year-old Xavier Mendez guilty of twelve felony counts of Possession of Child Pornography. Judge Brian J. Welke ordered Mendez into custody to await his sentencing hearing.

In July of 2024, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating an online user had uploaded files containing possible child pornography.

FDLE Special Agent Marsian investigated the lead and learned that a Kik user had utilized the platform to share digital files depicting the sexual exploitation of a child. During the investigation, SA Marsian determined that the account belonged to the defendant, who resided at an address off Prairie Falcon Drive in Groveland, Florida.

The investigation was turned over to the Groveland Police Department, where it was assigned to Detective Stellinga. After reviewing the report, a search warrant was issued for Mendez’s residence, where officials seized numerous electronic devices as evidence.

A digital forensics examination of the devices collected from the defendant revealed multiple files of child sexual abuse material. An arrest warrant was issued for Mendez, who was subsequently taken into custody shortly after.

This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Tyler Duffy and Devon Razey.

Published on 04/09/2026.

(Marion County, FL) Thursday afternoon, jurors rendered their verdict in the case against 32-year-old Justin Cobb, who tragically took the life of 75-year-old Elfriede Meyer. Jurors found Cobb guilty on all three counts, including Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Manslaughter, and two counts of Driving Under the Influence with Serious Bodily Injury.

“Our thoughts remain with the victim’s loved ones, whose lives were forever changed by this preventable tragedy,” said Chief Assistant State Attorney Walter Forgie. “We remain committed to seeking justice for victims and holding those who choose to drive under the influence accountable.”

On June 22, 2022, shortly after 6 p.m., Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Troopers responded to a motor vehicle crash that occurred on County Road 42 near Umatilla, Florida. Once on scene, officials determined that the Chevrolet Tahoe being driven by Cobb veered in front of the vehicle that the victim was driving, along with two other occupants inside. Meyer was pronounced deceased on scene, and the other two occupants who sustained substantial injuries were transported for emergency medical treatment.

During FHP’s investigation, Cobb stated to authorities that he was driving his truck and coming to a curve in the road, and didn’t remember anything regarding the crash. Cobb admitted to authorities that he smoked methamphetamine the night before and that he is a functional addict. After drawing blood samples from the defendant at the hospital, the samples were sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for testing. The test results concluded that Cobb was under the influence of Methamphetamines at the time of the crash.

Assistant State Attorneys Adam Smith and Robert Bullara diligently prosecuted this case.

Published on 04/02/2026.