MARION COUNTY, Fla. – A three‑day trial concluded Thursday with a guilty verdict and a life‑sentence for the 41‑year‑old man convicted of murdering Darius Duntel Jones in September 2023. The Marion County jury found Joseph Edwards Horrighs guilty of first‑degree pre‑meditated murder after hearing testimony, surveillance video, and forensic evidence.
Trial evidence linked Horrighs to the crime
Deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported shooting off SE 174th Place on Sept. 21, 2023, and discovered the 56‑year‑old victim dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators traced Jones’s movements earlier that day and learned he had picked up Horrighs and an unidentified female companion before driving to a local Walmart. Store surveillance captured the trio leaving together, with Jones behind the wheel, Horrighs in the front passenger seat, and the woman in the back.
Although Horrighs initially denied being in the vehicle, detectives presented the Walmart footage, prompting him to admit his presence. Subsequent residential security cameras near the crime scene recorded the woman exiting the back seat and walking away. About twenty minutes later, the same camera captured Horrighs returning on foot, placing him alone with Jones during the window when the shooting occurred.
Forensic DNA and shell‑casing matches
Forensic testing later connected Horrighs to evidence recovered at the scene. DNA collected from shell casings and an abandoned gun holster matched Horrighs, and a search of his residence uncovered additional shell casings that corresponded to those found near the victim.
Witness interviews revealed that Horrighs harbored animosity toward Jones because Jones was African American and because Horrighs believed Jones was flirting with the female companion, sparking jealousy.
Sentencing and statements
Following the verdict, Judge Barbara Kissner‑Kwatkosky sentenced Horrighs to life imprisonment within the Florida Department of Corrections. “This verdict and sentencing hold the defendant accountable for taking the life of Darius Jones and provide a measure of justice for his family,” Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson said. “A life was taken through an act of premeditated violence, and the jury returned the just verdict of guilty. Our thoughts remain with Mr. Jones’ family and loved ones as they continue to live with this loss.”
Assistant State Attorney Toby Hunt prosecuted the case on behalf of the state.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
