DeLand, FL - DeLand Police announced arrest warrants for two men on Thursday for a double homicide during a block party that took place back in November of 2016 at the Candlelight Oaks neighborhood of DeLand.
DeLand Police Chief Jason Umberger announced during a press conference Thursday that the two men arrested were 20-year-old Charlie Martin IV of DeLand and 22-year-old Jevon Dennis of Deltona. Both suspects were already in the Volusia County jail on unrelated charges, and the arrest warrants were served there.
The men are each charged with second degree murder after they shot and killed two people and wounded one person during the night of the party on November 26, 2016. The killings stemmed from an argument over a minor car accident, according to police.
Martin is charged with the death of 41-year-old Victor Small, and Dennis is charged with the death of 27-year-old Clayton Lowry. Martin is also accused of shooting at a woman, who was not hit or injured in the shootings. 28-year-old Sam Parker was wounded in the shootings. At least 14 shell casings from bullets were recovered from the scene.
Umberger says that shootings like these show a lack of respect for human life. "We're not going to tolerate that in the city of DeLand," he explained.
Five witnesses came forward with information about the case and police believe the arrests would have been nearly impossible to make without the help of those witnesses.
Umberger says that police building trust with the community is the single biggest factor in solving these types of cases. "The law-abiding citizens of this community and our police department are tired of the violence, and we are standing shoulder-to-shoulder to combat this type of crime," he adds.
(Dennis's mugshot courtesy Volusia County jail)
NOTE: Dennis's mugshot is from an unrelated earlier charge.
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