A Florida man accused of gunning down an autistic teenager for no apparent reason was seen smiling Friday as police took him into custody, FOX 35 reports.
On Friday, officers in Ocala arrested 20-year-old Geremy Doel Navarro on a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the death of 19-year-old Ferron Williams.
The arrest comes more than a year after Williams was shot just before 11:30 p.m. on January 27, 2022, while he was sitting on the porch of a friend’s home near the 900 block of NW 6th Ave. in Ocala. Williams was reportedly using the internet from a Hardee’s restaurant across the street.
“We know that the young man was on the porch using the WiFi of a local restaurant and that’s when a shooter came and shot him from the roadway,” Ocala Police spokesman Jeff Walczak said shortly after the fatal shooting, according to FOX 35.
Williams attempted to escape the gunfire and ran down a nearby street, but he collapsed on the sidewalk. Police responded to the scene for a report of shots fired and found Williams with multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead, WFTV reports.
Investigators say Williams was diagnosed with autism and had no known criminal record.
Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken praised the department’s pursuit of Navarro in helping secure justice for Williams and his family.
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“I want to commend the tireless dedication of our detectives who have worked diligently for the past 14 months to bring closure to the heinous murder of 19-year-old Ferron Williams,” Balken said, according to FOX 35. “Their persistence in this investigation has led to the arrest of Geremy Navarro and I am proud to say that justice will finally be served.”
Ocala Police released a video of Navarro during his arrest in which he appears to be smiling as he is put into a patrol vehicle. It is not clear why he was smiling at the time the video was recorded.
Navarro has been booked into the Marion County Jail and is being held without bond.
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[Feature Photo: Geremy Doel Navarro/Ocala Police Department]
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