A Marion County Jail inmate accused of robbing an Ocala bank and stabbing fellow inmate Albert James Shell, Jr., the suspect in the deadly 2023 Paddock Mall shooting, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison.
On Wednesday, in a Marion County courtroom, 38-year-old Randall Lee Williford pleaded nolo contendere (no contest) to multiple charges that include attempted first-degree murder, kidnapping with a firearm, robbery with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, and evidence tampering.
After entering his plea, a judge sentenced Williford to 45 years in prison, with credit for 294 days already served while awaiting the resolution of both cases. The robbery and firearm charges stem from an incident at TD Bank (2437 SE 17th Street 101 in Ocala) that occurred in May 2025, and the attempted murder charge is connected to a January 2026 stabbing incident at Marion County Jail.
Robbery incident at TD Bank in Ocala
Marion County Court records show that on May 8, 2025, a male suspect – later identified as Williford – entered the TD Bank branch in Ocala, pulled out a handgun, and demanded money. The initial arrest report said that Williford 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 “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.
Williford remained in custody at Marion County Jail following his initial arrest on the robbery charges.
Stabbing incident at Marion County Jail
Months later, on Saturday, January 10, 2026, an MCSO corporal responded to the jail in reference to an inmate, Williford, reportedly stabbing another inmate. The corporal noted in an incident 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.
In a message to Ocala-News.com, MCSO confirmed that Paddock Mall shooting suspect Albert James Shell, Jr. was the victim in this stabbing incident at Marion County Jail. The sheriff’s office further confirmed that Williford and Shell were previously cellmates at the jail.
Back in January 2024, Shell was arrested on first-degree murder and attempted murder charges for his alleged involvement in a shooting at Paddock Mall that killed a 40-year-old father of five and wounded two others.
Less than a month after Shell’s arrest, the State Attorney’s Office announced that it will be seeking the death penalty against him. Shell has remained in custody at the jail while awaiting trial, which has not yet been scheduled.
The MCSO report regarding the jail stabbing incident states that meals were being handed out to the inmates on January 10, 2026, when two individuals – identified by a detention deputy as Williford and Shell – 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 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.
A corporal noted in the report that Shell sustained numerous injuries to his “facial, head, [and] neck area” that were in close proximity to his carotid arteries and spine. However, Shell’s condition was described as “stable,” and medical personnel were able to treat his wounds at the jail without needing hospitalization.
During an interview, Shell told law enforcement that he had been “housed together as bunk mates” with Williford in the past, and they previously did not have any issues. According to Shell, he was with Williford shortly before the unprovoked attack, and they were “having a friendly conversation.”
When it was meal time, Shell reportedly grabbed a tray, and Williford approached him from behind and stabbed him several times. According to the report, Shell believed that another inmate, who is “a known gang member of the Bloods,” had “ordered (Williford) to commit the attack.”
Shell also claimed that 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 showed Shell 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 began “adjusting (the) waistband of his pants” after reaching the bottom floor, according to the report.
On the footage, Williford hid behind a visitation wall, and he then “peer(ed) around it” while “checking to see (Shell’s) location.” A few minutes later, Williford approached Shell from behind while raising a “sharp object” in his left hand.
Moments later, Williford reportedly struck Shell multiple times with the “improvised knife.” Shell managed to briefly push Williford away, but Williford lunged at Shell and stabbed him a few more times, according to the report.
The incident ended when the detention deputy tasered Williford.
After being advised of his Miranda rights, Williford confessed to sneaking up on Shell and stabbing him. When asked about a motive, Williford claimed that Shell “tried doing some gay stuff when (they) were rooming together,” according to the report.
During the post-Miranda interview, Williford reportedly further stated that Shell “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 also confessed to making the knife with the intention of killing Shell.
Williford remained in custody at Marion County Jail up until this week’s court appearance, when he pleaded no contest to multiple charges related to the bank robbery and stabbing.
Earlier this month, a former Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy was sentenced to two years in prison for stealing over $5,000 from an Ocala bank.