A Marion County Jail inmate, who was taken into custody last year following an Ocala bank robbery, is facing an attempted murder charge after he confessed to stabbing his former cellmate for “snitching” and making homosexual advances.
Randall Lee Williford, 38, was initially placed under arrest and booked into Marion County Jail on May 8, 2025. His arrest was connected to a robbery at the TD Bank located at 2437 SE 17th Street 101 in Ocala, which occurred that afternoon.
On that date, a male suspect – later identified as Williford – allegedly entered the bank, pulled out a handgun, and demanded money. The initial arrest report stated that Williford allegedly left the bank with nearly $7,000 in cash, and he fled from the area in a pickup truck.
When law enforcement spotted the pickup truck, a high-speed pursuit ensued, which ended when the vehicle rolled over into a retention pond near the 4300 block of SE 38th Street. Soon after exiting the vehicle through a shattered rear window, Williford allegedly “brandished and pointed a pistol” at two officers, prompting the officers to fire their service weapons, according to the report.
Williford sustained a gunshot wound to his right wrist. He was taken to a local hospital before being transported to Marion County Jail on a slew of charges that include armed robbery with a firearm, two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Since his initial arrest, Williford has remained in custody at Marion County Jail while awaiting trial on the robbery-related charges.
An MCSO incident report states that on Saturday, January 10, 2026, a corporal responded to the jail in reference to an inmate, identified as Williford, allegedly stabbing another inmate. The corporal noted in the report that “several dried drops of blood” and “a small pool of blood” were observed in the area of the jail where the attack occurred.
A detention deputy told the corporal that meals were being handed out to the inmates when two individuals – Williford and the victim – appeared to be “horse-playing.” However, Williford reportedly had an object in his hand, which prompted the detention deputy to deploy his Taser, striking Williford with the probes.
Williford was quickly secured by deputies, and an “improvised knife” was allegedly found in his hand. The blade was “two to five inches in length” with “sharpened edges,” and the handle was “covered with an unknown adhesive material,” according to the report.
The corporal said in the report that the victim sustained numerous injuries to his “facial, head, [and] neck area” that were in close proximity to his carotid arteries and spine. However, the victim’s condition was described as “stable,” and medical personnel were able to treat his wounds at the jail without needing hospitalization.
In an interview, the victim told the corporal that he had been “housed together as bunk mates” with Williford in the past, and they previously did not have any issues. According to the victim, he was with Williford shortly before the unprovoked attack, and they were “having a friendly conversation.”
When it was meal time, the victim grabbed a tray, and Williford allegedly approached him from behind and stabbed him several times. According to the report, the victim believed that another inmate, who is “a known gang member of the Bloods,” had “ordered (Williford) to commit the attack.”
According to the report, the victim mentioned how members of the “Bloods” gang had labeled him as a “snitch,” making him a “target.”
The corporal reviewed video surveillance footage of the incident, which allegedly showed the victim walking down the stairs from his cell to retrieve his tray at around 4:06 p.m. Williford was also observed on the footage walking down the same flight of stairs, and he allegedly began “adjusting (the) waistband of his pants” after reaching the bottom floor.
On the footage, Williford allegedly hid behind a visitation wall, and he then “peer(ed) around it” while “checking to see the victim’s location.” A few minutes later, Williford allegedly approached the victim from behind while raising a “sharp object” in his left hand.
Moments later, Williford allegedly struck the victim multiple times with the “improvised knife.” The victim managed to briefly push Williford away, but Williford allegedly lunged at the victim and stabbed him a few more times.
The attack ended when the detention deputy tasered Williford, according to the report.
After being read his Miranda rights, Williford allegedly confessed to sneaking up on the victim and stabbing him. When asked about a motive, Williford claimed that the victim “tried doing some gay stuff when (they) were rooming together,” according to the report.
During the post-Miranda interview, Williford allegedly further stated that the victim “used to be a Blood” and “would try running his mouth and tell others (about Williford’s) problems” in an attempt to make Williford “look like a b****.”
According to the report, Williford allegedly confessed to making the knife with the intention of killing the victim. He also told the corporal that he “just wants to plead guilty” regarding the stabbing incident.
Williford remains in custody at Marion County Jail, and he is facing additional charges of attempted first-degree murder and possession of a dangerous weapon in a county detention facility.