Press Release
The Office of State Attorney Larry Basford announces that on April 6, 2021, a Bay County jury found 26 year old Jacorian Thomas guilty of manslaughter with a firearm and tampering with evidence. Sentencing is set for April 23, 2021, before Circuit Judge Brantley Clark. Thomas faces up to 35 years in prison.
Evidence presented at trial proved that on August 18, 2018, at Abbots Trailer Park in Callaway, Thomas shot and killed 19 year old Demetrius Traylor with a 9 millimeter handgun. Thomas admitted being high on illegally procured pain pills at the time. Thomas and Traylor were thought to be friends at the time of the shooting. Thomas dragged Traylor’s body out of the mobile home and left him sprawled out on a dirt road. Thomas then attempted to clean the blood from the crime scene. Thomas fled the scene and remained a fugitive until arrested on August 9, 2019, in Polk County, Florida.
Assistant State Attorney Bob Sombathy prosecuted the case for the State, and Sgt. Jared Turner was the case agent for the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
For additional information, contact State Attorney Larry Basford.