A 20-year-old Ocala man has been arrested and charged with the murder of a 19-year-old autistic man who was fatally shot on January 27, 2022.
At around 11:20 p.m. on the night of the fatal shooting, the Ocala Police Department received a 911 call reporting that gunshots had been fired near the 900 block of NW 6th Avenue. Upon arrival, officers located the victim, Ferron Williams, and he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
Williams was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries shortly after 12:30 a.m. on January 28, 2022.
Prior to the shooting, Williams was sitting outside on the front porch of an acquaintance’s house, and he was using the public Wi-Fi from a nearby Hardee’s fast-food restaurant. According to OPD, the shots seemed to come from the roadway, and Williams did not seem to be in any altercation or disturbance.
On Friday, March 31, 2023, after a lengthy investigation, OPD announced that detectives have arrested 20-year-old Geremy Doel Navarro for the first-degree murder of Williams.
“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. 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,” stated Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken.
“I also want to express my deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of the victim who have suffered a great loss,” added Balken. “We condemn all forms of violence and are committed to ensuring that our community remains safe and secure. We will continue to work diligently to bring perpetrators of such crimes to justice and protect our citizens from harm.”
Detectives transported Navarro to Marion County Jail on Friday afternoon, and he is currently being held without bond. He is facing a felony charge for first-degree premeditated murder.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.