Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 8
U.S. Marshals Arrest 17-Year-Old in 2nd-Degree Murder of 2 Florida Teens
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 8

U.S. Marshals Arrest 17-Year-Old in 2nd-Degree Murder of 2 Florida Teens

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 8

Summary

  • Wednesday's arrest followed a warrant obtained Tuesday in the July 29 shooting deaths of Dustin Rose, 19, a Citadel cadet, and Samson Campbell, 18, whose bodies were found in a vacant DeLand lot.
  • Police said the 17-year-old suspect knew the victims and now faces two counts of second-degree murder; prosecutors said they will likely seek to charge him as an adult.
  • Sheriff Mike Chitwood said the teen's record dates to 2021 and includes aggravated assault, battery, weapon, theft and drug cases that were dropped, dismissed or resolved with probation.
  • That history triggered a political clash: Chitwood and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier blamed State Attorney Monique Worrell for weak prosecution, while Worrell said the criticism was political and some cited cases were outside her circuit.
  • The case widened with the arrest of the suspect's father on accessory charges, while Rose's family and The Citadel mourned a 19-year-old cadet and National Guard member killed while home on break.

Insights

What really happened during the midnight encounter that left a Citadel cadet dead and a teen suspect claiming self-defense?
How did a teenager with an extensive criminal record manage to stay free long enough to be accused of a double homicide?