CHIPLEY – A man set for his murder charge to be decided by a jury instead entered a plea of No Contest Tuesday and was sentenced to 45 years in prison, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.

Jeffrey Schuller, 53, accepted a plea agreement after a Washington County Jury was selected to hear the evidence in the 2023 killing of Dawn Langford. Washington County Circuit Judge Timothy Register accepted the plea and adjudicated the defendant guilty before sentencing him to 45 years in prison.

Prosecutor Megan Ford was prepared to show the jury that on July 12, 2023, at approximately 5:30 a.m., the body of a woman was found on a rural dirt road near Wausau. She had been fatally shot. The victim was later identified as Dawn Langford, a resident of Bay County.

A thorough investigation by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, FDLE, and the Florida Highway Patrol, led to the arrest of Jeffrey Schuller. Surveillance footage, forensic evidence, and witness statements linked Schuller to the crime.

RELATED: Follow us on Facebook for the latest updates

RELATED: Brutal murder leads to Life without parole

Search warrants on the defendant’s residence and vehicle revealed a 9mm Taurus handgun with a rare type of ammunition — identical to the casing found beside the victim. It was hidden in a closet. DNA evidence and tire tracks that matched the defendant’s truck further connected Schuller to the scene.

This case is a testament to the power of interagency cooperation and the vital role of forensic science in securing justice.

Ford and Basford said they are grateful to Washington County Sheriff Kevin Crews and Capt. Kenny Brock, as well as Bay County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jason Daffin and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for their efforts on this case.

For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.

Charles Matthew Gable was sentenced to Life in prison without the possibility of parole Wednesday for the brutal 2023 murder of Brittany Jordana Dykes, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.

Calhoun County Circuit Court Judge Brandon Young ordered the sentence Wednesday for Gable, who was found guilty March 27 after a 3-day trial.

Calhoun County Chief Prosecutor William Wright called more than a dozen witnesses and provided jurors evidence proving the defendant and the victim were at the defendant’s residence when an argument broke out Sept. 24, 2023. The evidence showed that the defendant, who was intoxicated, became angry at the victim and repeatedly punched her in the head, face and upper body while also strangling her.

RELATED: Convicted child molester sentenced to 50 years

RELATED: Follow us on Facebook for the latest updates

Her body was put in the trunk of a car overnight. The next day Gable drove about 18 miles and rolled the body into a creek, where it was found by passersby.

The jury deliberated for just over an hour.

“Brittany and her family deserved to see this man held accountable and brought to justice, and that started with the guilty verdict.” Wright said. “Now we hope this Life sentence, which was the result of a team effort between the Calhoun County Sheriffs Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the State Attorney’s Office, will help bring them an added degree of relief.”

Basford thanked Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Department of Law Enforcement for their efforts on the case.

For additional information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Wewahitchka man found guilty in March of 2 counts of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation was ordered to serve consecutive minimum-mandatory 25-year sentences Tuesday, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.

Henry Hollis Mangum, 59, was found guilty of the charges March 21 after a 1-day trial. Jurors reached a verdict about 20 minutes after hearing the case presented by Prosecutor Brea Dearing. Circuit Court Judge Shonna Young Gay presided over Tuesday’s sentencing.

At trial, Dearing presented evidence and called 4 witnesses, including the victim – who was under 10 years of age at the time of the offense. The crime was initially unreported, but a series of events in 2021 led to the disclosure.

A forensic interview by an Alabama child protection team and other evidence gathered proved the victim’s case.

“We are pleased that the victim, who had the courage to testify at trial, saw justice served today with Judge Gay’s sentence,” Dearing said. “This has been an ordeal for her, but now she doesn’t have to worry about him ever harming her again.”

RELATED: Man guilty of DUI Manslaughter in head-on State 79 collision

RELATED: Woman sentenced to 15 years for shooting at, wounding boyfriend

Dearing noted the importance of the verdict on a crime that was reported years after it occurred, because it shows other sexual abuse victims that they will be heard if they come forward.

Basford thanked both the Alabama agencies initially involved in the investigation and the Panama City Police Department for gathering the evidence to build a strong case.

For additional information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.

       

Prosecutor Peter Overstreet points at the defendant, who was fingerprinted and taken into custody after the

verdict. Family members of the victims thanked Overstreet and SAO outside afterward.

A man driving in the wrong lanes on State 79 with more than twice the legal blood-alcohol limit was found guilty Thursday of DUI Manslaughter and other charges resulting from the head-on collision he caused.

State Attorney Larry Basford said John Edward Powers, 57, of Bruce, was found guilty of DUI Manslaughter in the death of Kenyotta Michelle Brown, and two counts of DUI Causing Serious Bodily Injury to Savannah Desiree Gandy and Justin Weston. A fourth passenger in the car suffered minor injuries. Sentencing is set for June 12 at 9 a.m.

“Thanks to the hard work of the Florida Highway Patrol, Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and FDLE, justice was achieved for Ms. Brown, Ms. Gandy, and Mr. Weston,” said Prosecutor Peter Overstreet.

After the verdict, family members expressed gratitude for the verdict, saying that with the truth out and the suspect convicted, Brown can rest in peace.

Overstreet called 13 witnesses over two days to prove Powers, with a .20 blood-alcohol level, was driving south in the northbound lanes of State 79 when he hit a car driven by Gandy head-on a few miles north of Panama City Beach near County 388. It is illegal in Florida to drive with a blood-alcohol level of .08 or higher.

“What we have is a highly intoxicated man who was driving the wrong way down Hwy. 79 when he struck (the victim’s car) as they were heading north to Caryville,” Overstreet told jurors. “He didn’t even know where he had crashed or that he was almost in Panama City Beach.”

Gandy, driving north on 79 with her friends to Caryville, said when she saw headlights and realized they were in her lane, she only had time to jerk the wheel to the left. The defendant’s right front collided directly with Gandy’s right front, sending both vehicles spiraling clockwise.

RELATED: Man wanted for Oregon homicide guilty in Holmes County case

RELATED: Woman sentenced to 15 years for shooting, injuring man

Jurors saw pictures from the scene, a diagram showing the point of impact and subsequent travel of the vehicles and heard from Florida Highway Patrol Cpl. Jonathan Gentry. Gentry said the laws of physics and the evidence at the scene could only lead to one conclusion: the defendant was driving south in the northbound lanes at the time of the wreck.

“It’s basic physics,” Overstreet said. “There’s no other way for this to happen. One hundred times out of 100 times, when you repeat this kind of collision (passenger front to passenger front), this is what happens.”

Brown, the front-seat passenger in Gandy’s car, did not survive. Gandy was life-flighted to the hospital with a broken femur, her ankle broken in three places and multiple other injuries. Weston had a broken femur, broken shoulder and other injuries

Basford thanked the multiple agencies involved and the FHP for its analysis of the wreck that proved there was only one way it could have happened.

For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.

As a jury prepared to enter the courtroom and hear the case against her Tuesday, Sharmana Garrett pled No Contest to Attempted Second Degree Murder and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, State Attorney Larry Basford said.

Jurors were released by Circuit Judge Brantley Clark, who thanked them for their willingness to serve and explained the importance of their role even without a trial.

“This plea doesn’t happen today if there wasn’t a jury ready to hear the case,” he told them.

Prosecutor Frank Sullivan was prepared to call witnesses and provide evidence proving the defendant tracked the victim down following an argument and fired four shots into his truck, striking him once.

“We want people to understand you cannot escalate an argument or disturbance by retrieving a firearm and turning it into a potentially deadly situation,” Sullivan said. “We had a strong case with the work of the Panama City Police Department. But I think this plea was in the best interest of all involved, including the victim, who was in agreement.”

Sullivan and Prosecutor JP Ferreira were prepared to prove that the defendant and the victim had been dating for about 2 years when they got into a domestic situation Jan. 23, 2021. The victim left the Everitt Avenue residence in his truck.

RELATED: Suspect in Oregon shooting imprisoned in Florida

RELATED: Man who fled with 700+ grams of meth gets 40 years

The defendant retrieved a pistol from inside the home. She and her son got into her car and found the victim in his truck a few blocks away. Both vehicles stopped and the defendant fired four shots into the victim’s truck from behind, hitting the victim once in the back.

The victim drove away and sought medical help. The son later pled to Tampering with Evidence and was put on probation.

Basford thanked the Panama City Police Department for its handling of the two scenes and putting together a strong case.

For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.

BONIFAY: A man with an active Oregon warrant for attempted murder caught in Holmes County after deputies were called to a possible kidnapping at a rest stop was sentenced to 8 years in prison Tuesday on the charge of convicted felon possessing a firearm.

State Attorney Larry Basford announced David Eugene Grant, 39, of Oregon, was found guilty by a Holmes County jury after deliberating for 10 minutes. Circuit Court Judge Russell Roberts sentenced the defendant to 8 years in prison.

Holmes County Chief Prosecutor Jacob Cook called 3 witnesses and presented evidence proving the defendant, a convicted felon, was in possession of a shotgun and a revolver when deputies pulled him over June 18, 2024.

“We take a hard line on felons possessing firearms, especially ones with violent criminal histories, which was the case with this defendant,” Cook said. “Our community is a safer place now that David Grant is behind bars for the next 8 years.”

RELATED: Trafficker who fled with 700+ grams of meth sent to prison

RELATED: Bookmark our Facebook page for fast updates and releases

According to testimony and evidence, the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office was notified there was a possible kidnapping involving the suspect holding a woman against her will in a Chevrolet Impala at a rest stop near Ponce de Leon on County Road 81.

Deputy Cory Guster responded and spotted a car matching the description leaving the area and pulled it over. The car was subsequently searched, and when a deputy pulled a suitcase out of the trunk, he saw a Remington 12-gauge shotgun underneath it. Inside the bag, deputies found a .38-caliber revolver hidden in a sock.

The defendant, based on a previous conviction in Oregon for escape, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and driving without a valid driver’s license. A warrant check also showed he was wanted in Oregon for Attempted Murder in a shooting that occurred less than a month earlier.

Basford thanked the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office for its quick response to the initial call and follow-up work that led to the recovery of the weapons.

For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.

A man charged with fleeing from authorities, throwing more than 700 grams of methamphetamine into the woods after abandoning his vehicle, and leaving behind 44 ounces of marijuana in his SUV, was found guilty as charged Wednesday evening.

State Attorney Larry Basford said Elvis Mark Hartrick, 49, of Fountain, was sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison by Circuit Court Judge Dustin Stephenson following the verdict.

Hartrick was sentenced to 25 years for Trafficking in Methamphetamine (200 or more grams), and 5 years each for Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Law Enforcement, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Possession of More than 20 grams of Marijuana. Judge Stephenson ordered the sentences to be served consecutively, or one after the other. The defendant received time served for tampering.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“This defendant possessed a large amount of methamphetamine (750 grams) and has a lengthy criminal history involving drugs that includes three prior prison sentences,” Prosecutor Ryan Phillips said. “His actions in this case show that is not going to change, that he was continuing to endanger the community, and he is going where he needs to be for a long time.”

Phillips called 7 witnesses – 6 of them Bay County Sheriff’s Office deputies involved in the case – and presented evidence that led to the jury returning its verdicts in about 30 minutes.

The testimony and evidence showed the Bay County Sheriff’s Office’s Special Investigations Division was conducting an operation on the defendant, who was wanted on Federal warrants.

RELATED: Fentanyl trafficker found unconscious in car sent to prison

RELATED: SAO investigator graduates from FDLE Academy

While conducting surveillance and with a Sheriff’s Office helicopter in the air, an investigator in an unmarked vehicle with emergency lights and siren attempted to stop the defendant for speeding on County 2301. The defendant sped off and other unmarked vehicles joined the chase across dirt roads, down a trail that led back to the highway and ultimately through a yard and behind a dwelling at the dead-end of Gainer Road.

Video from the Sheriff’s Office’s Air One, equipped with special heat-seeking cameras, showed the defendant run into the woods and throw a bag off to the side before running deeper into the woods. The helicopter was able to keep track of the defendant until deputies on the ground could get to him.

The thrown bag had about 750 grams of methamphetamine in it. Inside the defendant’s vehicle deputies found about 934 grams of marijuana and 1-4 Butanediol, used to make GHB – commonly referred to as “Georgia Home Boy” or “Scoop.”

Basford thanked the Sheriff’s Office for its proactive approach in keeping that amount of drugs off the street. He also noted the importance of the video provided by Air One.

For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.

 

State Attorney’s Office Inv. John Pettis is one of 45 participants from criminal justice agencies across the state to graduate from the Florida Leadership Academy, State Attorney Larry Basford announced..

These graduates serve in leadership roles representing 34 criminal justice agencies. Applicants were selected from all the state, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies.

“I’m honored to have been chosen to attend, and grateful for the support and opportunity to learn from people who excel in their field,” said Pettis, assigned to the SAO offices in Washington and Holmes counties. “It is something I will carry with me in my day-to-day work and I look forward to continuing my education and training to better serve the citizens of the 14th Judicial Circuit.”

The graduates met for four week-long sessions at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Pensacola Regional Operations Center. They learned skills necessary to support the needs of their agencies and their communities as they prepare for future challenges.

The goal of the Florida Leadership Academy is to prepare first-line supervisors in criminal justice organizations to exemplify the character and integrity expected of criminal justice professionals and to examine the various components necessary to being an efficient leader.

RELATED: Fentanyl trafficker found unconscious in car gets prison

RELATED: Child sexual predator sentenced to 50 years

Other local graduates included: Brent Roberts and J.P.Ferrell, Bay County Sheriff’s Office; Christopher Black, Florida State University Police Department; Anthony Calasso and Matthew Kelly, Panama City Police Department; and Wade McKeeby, Panama City Beach Police Department.

For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.

 

A Vernon man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading no contest to Trafficking in more than 28 grams of Fentanyl, announced State Attorney Larry Basford.

Sean Thomas Terry, 25, was adjudicated guilty by Circuit Court Judge Brantley Clark, who accepted the plea.

The defendant’s trial was set to begin Thursday, with jury selection completed Monday. However, he opted to enter a plea Wednesday morning.

RELATED: Man guilty of murdering 92-year-old  RELATED: Altha man guilty in brutal murder 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney J.P. Ferreira, who said the sentence reflects the seriousness of the ongoing fentanyl crisis.

“This defendant was found unconscious behind the wheel of a vehicle filled with a lethal amount of fentanyl – enough to end hundreds of lives,” Ferreira said. “We were fully prepared to present evidence and witnesses, but this plea ensures justice and protects our community.”

Ferreira was prepared to present witnesses and evidence showing the defendant was arrested on Feb. 7, 2023, around 9:30 a.m. Bay County Sheriff’s Office deputies found him unconscious in his vehicle, which was blocking a bank’s ATM. He showed signs he was under the influence of an unknown substance.

Deputies found a small pill bottle in his pocket containing pills that tested positive for fentanyl. He was arrested at the scene, and during a subsequent inventory of the vehicle, deputies discovered a fanny pack behind the driver’s seat. Inside was a black plastic bag containing several smaller baggies that held approximately 119 grams of fentanyl.

Basford thanked the Bay County Sheriff’s Office for its proactive response.

For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.

MARIANNA – A 28-year-old man found guilty of robbing and killing a 92-year-old veteran with a shotgun blast was sentenced to Life in prison Thursday following his trial, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.

A 12-person Jackson County jury found Juqon T. Douglas guilty of First Degree Murder with a Firearm and Robbery with a Firearm. The victim, Chatman Adams, a veteran known as “Sarge” to his neighbors, was killed in his home Aug. 19, 2018. Jurors deliberated for about an hour.

Prosecutor Peter Overstreet provided records showing Douglas had only been out of prison about 15 months when the shooting occurred. Circuit Court Judge Ana Maria Garcia sentenced Douglas to Life in prison on both counts as a Prison Releasee Reoffender.

Overstreet called 13 witnesses and presented evidence ranging from cell phone records and bodycam video to DNA and statements made by the defendant to prove his case during the 2-day trial.

“I want to thank the Marianna Police Department, the Medical Examiner’s Office, and the community for helping find justice for Mr. Adams,” Overstreet said. “Mr. Adams, everyone knew him as ‘Sarge,’ was a well-known and loved member of the community, and that showed as witnesses came forward to help this case come together.”

RELATED: Altha man guilty in brutal 2023 murder

RELATED: Follow us on Facebook for updates

The testimony and evidence proved that the defendant had been to the victim’s house a few days before the murder on Oct. 17, 2018, and that the victim sometimes sold small amounts of liquor. On Oct. 17 when a female acquaintance wanted something to drink, the defendant told her he knew someone and took her to the victim’s house.

She testified that she walked to the front door, the defendant following behind. The victim answered the door holding a shotgun, asked what she wanted, and let her in to buy a bottle. She testified she gave the victim a $10 bill, but as she was walking out, the defendant walked in.

She said she left and got back in the car. Within a minute or two, she said she heard a loud noise, and the defendant returned to the car. She said he was carrying the same weapon the victim had when she was in the house. She testified the defendant said he had killed Adams.

Medical Examiner Dr. Jay Radtke testified the victim died almost immediately from a single shotgun wound to the neck.

Basford thanked the Marianna Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for their work on the case.

For additional information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.