Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on August 16, 2019, a Bay County jury found the defendant, Larry D. Sims, guilty as charged of Attempted 1st Degree Murder, Attempted 1st Degree Felony Murder, Armed Burglary with an Assault or Battery with a Firearm, and Attempted 2nd Degree Murder.

Evidence presented at trial proved that Sims, after arguing with his girlfriend, the victim, entered her home by kicking in the front door and master bedroom door in the early morning hours of April 10, 2017, in Parker, Florida.  Sgt. Peavy with the Parker Police Department was on routine patrol when he heard gunshots coming from a residence across the street from Parker Elementary.  The dash came caught the audio and video of parts of the shooting incident.  The defendant had taken the victim out of her home by the hair and as she tried to run away, shot her multiple times.  After she fell to the ground, the defendant stood over her and shot her multiple times into the ground.  The children who were inside the home witnessed the shooting and then ran across the street to Sgt. Peavy who had just activated his blue lights.  While the children ran, Sims took aim and fired an additional round at one of the children.  Sgt. Peavy immediately took the children into his patrol vehicle and secured them.  Sims immediately fled the scene.  Investigators with the Parker Police Department and Bay County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case alongside the State Attorney’s Office.  Sims was later arrested on a warrant.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Peter Overstreet.  Sentencing is set for August 30, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. before the Honorable Dustin Stephenson.  Sims faces a mandatory life sentence on all counts under the 10/20/Life law and he is a designated Prison Releasee Reoffender under Florida Law.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on August 13, 2019, a Bay County jury found Horace Evan Hollie guilty of Resisting an Officer without Violence and Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer.  The State presented photographic and testimonial evidence that on May 8, 2019, Cpl. Boan with the Bay County Sheriff’s Office was battered by the Defendant after responding to a call about a passed out individual outside a Dollar General store located on 15th Street.  Upon arriving at Dollar General, Cpl. Boan approached a man fitting the suspect’s description and asked for the man’s identification.  Unbeknownst to Cpl. Boan at the time contact was made, that man, later-identified as the Defendant, had an active warrant for his arrest.  The Defendant then tried to run, with the hopes of avoiding his arrest on that outstanding warrant.  A struggle ensued as Cpl. Boan tried to single-handedly detain the Defendant and confirm his identity. During the struggle, Cpl. Boan testified that the Defendant battered him and resisted his efforts to detain the Defendant.

Hollie is set for sentencing before the Honorable Judge Dustin Stephenson on August 30, 2019.  At sentencing, the Judge will also consider the Defendant’s status as a Habitual Felony Offender, which doubles the Defendant’s statutory maximum sentence to up to 10 years in prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Calie Rivera and Frank Sullivan.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on August 5, 2019, Lynelle Dowe joined our Bay County office as an Assistant State Attorney in the Misdemeanor Division.  Ms. Dowe obtained a B.S. in Biology-Pre Med and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and then went on to earn a J.D. from Barry University School of Law in Orlando.  She previously worked as a Judicial Law Clerk/Staff Attorney in the 19^th Judicial Circuit in Martin and Okeechobee Counties, and as a Judicial Law Clerk in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands.  We welcome Ms. Dowe to the team!

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of the State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on July 25, 2019, a Bay County jury found Daniel Cody Guynn guilty of Felony Battery.  At trial, the State was able to show that the victim arrived at the Serenity House after a heated text message exchange with the Defendant’s father.  The Defendant’s father then initiated a physical attack in which the victim did not fight back, but only attempted to subdue the father.  After the father charged at the victim, the Defendant got out of the vehicle and armed himself with a blunt object.  The Defendant then attacked the victim which resulted in multiple injuries to the victim.  The attack only stopped because the victim pleaded with the father to stop the Defendant.  The father and the Defendant then fled the scene.  At trial, the Defendant claimed that he was acting in defense of his father.  The jury deliberated for 20 minutes.  Guynn is set for sentencing before the Honorable Chief Judge Christopher N. Patterson on September 10, 2019.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Nicole Reed and Peter Overstreet.  The case was investigated by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on July 29, 2019, Amanda Kincaid joined our Bay County office as an Assistant State Attorney in the Misdemeanor Division.  Ms. Kincaid is a Panama City native who graduated from Florida State University with a B.A. in English with a minor in Russian, and a B.A. in Italian with a minor in Chinese.  She then obtained a J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.  She previously worked as an Associate Attorney at James F. Gray, P.A., in Gainesville, Florida, and McConnaughhay, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver, Stern, P.A. in Gainesville and Ocala, Florida.  We welcome Ms. Kincaid to the team!

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on July 24, 2019, a Bay County jury found Marcus Deangelo Slaughter guilty as charged of committing a Lewd or Lascivious Act upon a Disabled Person.  Slaughter molested a young disabled man while at one of the local gym locker rooms on April 11, 2018.  After the molestation, the Defendant was investigated by the Panama City Police Department.   Evidence showed that Slaughter was alone with the victim in the locker room when he molested him.  Witnesses were able to identify Slaughter as the only person alone with the victim at the time of the molestation.  Slaughter later lied to law enforcement, claiming he was in Ohio when police came looking for him.  At trial, Slaughter claimed that the victim was mistaken or lying about the molestation.  Slaughter is set for sentencing before the Honorable Chief Judge Christopher Patterson on September 10, 2019.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on July 19, 2019, Daniel Joseph Pate, 17, pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder with a Firearm, and Battery in a County Jail or Detention Facility.  Daniel Pate was sentenced to 25 years in prison, day for day, by Judge James Goodman, Jr., for the murder of his uncle, Michael Dewitt Pate.  The investigation revealed that on November 6, 2017, Michael drove to meet with Daniel at his residence.  An argument ensued and Daniel pointed a hunting rifle at Michael and shot him in the left eye while Michael sat in his vehicle.  After Daniel shot Michael, he removed Michael from the vehicle and left him lying on the ground.  Daniel then got into Michael’s vehicle and left the scene.  Daniel first called his father who advised him to notify 911 and turn himself in.  Daniel then called 911; confessed to the crime and advised that he was standing by at the Bethlehem Baptist Church waiting to turn himself in.  Officers arrived on scene and found Daniel sitting in Michael’s vehicle.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney, Mark E. Graham, and was investigated by Jeff Snell with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on Wednesday, July 17, 2019, the Honorable Judge Patterson sentenced Samuel Leo Ricky Solomon to 30 years in prison.  Solomon was convicted at trial of Attempted Second Degree Murder with a Weapon on June 20, 2019.  In January 2019, Mr. Solomon made an unprovoked attack on the mother of his children where he stabbed her multiple times in the chest.  Mr. Solomon was stopped by two Good Samaritans who heard the victim screaming.  Mr. Solomon has over 10 felony convictions, including prior convictions for violence against the same victim and against law enforcement.

The case was investigated by the Springfield Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Alexis Sykes and Nichole Pieper.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on July 18, 2019, a Bay County jury convicted Roderick Dometrias Davenport of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation, Lewd or Lascivious Exhibition in the Presence of Child, and Tampering with a Victim.
This case was investigated by Detective Christian Shaw with the Panama City Police Department.  The Defendant has 10 prior felony convictions.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Barbara Beasley and Assistant State Attorney Phillip Stamman. Sentencing will be scheduled before Circuit Judge Ana Maria Garcia and the Defendant is facing the possibility of life in prison and being designated a sexual predator.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant Attorney Larry Basford.

Press Release

The Office of State Attorney Glenn Hess announces that on July 11, 2019, Guillermo Serna Lopez pled guilty to DUI Manslaughter and Driving with No Valid License Resulting in Death.  Circuit Judge Christopher Patterson sentenced Lopez to the maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

The State was prepared to prove that on March 4, 2018, Lopez operated a Dodge Ram truck while under the influence of alcohol and struck the victim, Kimberly Mason, as she operated a Honda Accord at the intersection of SR-79 and Highway 98 in Bay County.  Ms. Mason died instantly from the crash.  Lopez later admitted to consuming alcohol prior to the crash.  His blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit.

The case was investigated by the Panama City Beach Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Peter Overstreet.

For additional information, contact Chief Assistant State Attorney Larry Basford.