Palm Coast, FL - A lengthy investigation—the most extensive so far in modern Flagler County history—leads to the arrests of a murder suspect and his getaway driver.
According to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office (FCSO), a suspect fired 16 rounds into a parked vehicle at a Palm Coast gas station around 3:30 in the morning on October 12th, 2019. The driver of the vehicle that had been shot fled the area and called 911 after the shooting. His passenger, 25-year-old Deon O’Neal Jenkins, died before paramedics arrived. The driver also suffered a gunshot wound.
The events of that morning in October eventually led to what the FCSO is calling the most extensive investigation in the agency's history—involving over 20 local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and over 2,000 investigative hours.
During the investigation, detectives trace the shooter’s movements through
business surveillance cameras in the area until he was picked up in a vehicle by his accomplice. From there, investigators determined that the pair had fled out of state. The same day of the shooting, both suspects were stopped by police in Walterboro, South Carolina.
The next day, the pair arrived in Newport News, Virginia, where they spent two weeks before departing to Southern California. Then, another two weeks later, the suspects made it back to Florida after arriving in Orange Park on November 15th, 2019.
Investigators eventually determined the shooter and accomplice to be 26-year-old Marcus Avery and 26-year-old Derrius Braxton Bauer, respectively. Both suspects were taken into custody on Thursday (January 7th).
Per a release from FCSO, Chamblin is charged with first-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder, on top of shooting into an occupied vehicle. He was detained just days before his release from the Gulf Correctional Facility. Bauer, meanwhile, was arrested in Jacksonville, charged with principal to first-degree murder, principal to second-degree murder, and principal to shooting into an occupied vehicle.
Both men will be extradited to Flagler County to face their charges.
"This case is a testament to the lengths we will go to build a strong case, examine all the evidence, and take the time to bring justice for the victim and their family," Sheriff Rick Staly said. "We’d like to thank the many agencies throughout the country that assisted with this case and I commend our entire team for bringing this difficult case to conclusion."
