Jan 19, 2026 73 min read Trials

The Trial of Patrick Owen Watson

Patrick Watson's Florida Department of Corrections Profile (FDC)

Editor’s Notes: Investigator Starr’s testimony stretched into the third day of the trial, but for simplicity it's summarized in the same section under Day 2. Similarly, Det. Russano gave two testimonies, the first on the trial’s third day and the second on the trial’s fifth day, and it is summarized in the same section under Day 5.

Police Reports

Pretrial Motions

Patrick Owen Watson, 52, took his felony murder case to trial on December 8, 2025.

Police Reports

Charged via sworn complaint on July 26, 2022, Watson's case was open for over three years. Gainesville Police Department (GPD) Detective Desiree Russano reported:

“On [July 19, 2022, at 7 a.m.], [Watson] solicited [his co-defendants, Alderious White, Jason Ward and Tiara Luckie], to commit an armed home invasion robbery… Watson organized and prepared the co-defendants in a manner to obtain narcotics, money and jewelry from inside the home. [Watson] provided [White and Ward] with handguns. [Watson] gave the three co-defendants explicit instructions regarding where to go once inside the home, what to do in the home and what to remove from the home. The co-defendants were instructed to return to [Watson’s] location once the home invasion robbery was completed. Once inside the home, [White] shot and killed one of the occupants inside the home.

Prior to entering the home, the co-defendants contacted [Watson] at least twice by phone to update him on the occupancy/status of the home and vehicles parked outside the home. [Watson] instructed [them] to continue carrying out the armed home invasion robbery regardless of whether the door was locked or there were people in the home.

[Luckie] drove the three co-defendants to the home in a Dodge Dart registered to [her]. [Luckie] waited in the vehicle while [White and Ward], armed with handguns, entered the home by kicking in the front door. Once in the home, [White] shot and killed [D’halani Armstrong]. [Ward] held [Dovico Miles and his friend] at gunpoint inside the home.

Post-Miranda Warning, [Watson] was identified by both [Ward and Luckie] in a 6 person photo line-up.”

Watson's warrant was issued on July 29, 2022. According to an incident report from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Watson turned himself in. Deputy Michael Ricks II reported:

“Upon the date of August 28, 2022 at approximately [5:10 a.m.], I responded to 3333 NE 39th Blvd in reference to a suspicious vehicle. A white semi-truck had appeared to be abandoned in the work release lot.

Upon arrival, I made contact with Lt. R. Watkins in reference to the vehicle. It was found that the driver (identified as Patrick Watson) had turned himself in on an outstanding warrant and left the vehicle to be picked up by a relative. Due to liability concerns, the DOJ wanted the vehicle towed. A contract tow was requested and Elite Towing responded.

The vehicle was turned over to Elite Towing.”

Pretrial Motions

Although his charges were later amended, Watson initially was arrested on six felony charges. Watson’s first appearance order states he is not allowed to have contact with White or Ward.

On September 1, 2022, Assistant State Attorney Michael Becker motioned to revoke Watson’s jail call privileges. The motion states:

[Watson] had first appearance on August 28, 2022. The first appearance paperwork does not have ‘no contact with victim’ checked.

On August 31, 2022, [Watson] had another jail inmate, Nathail Harrington… use [his] phone log-in to arrange an unwanted 3-way call to [Armstrong's mother]…

[Watson] has abused his phone privilege in contacting [Armstrong's mother] through a 3-way call under a different inmate's phone log-in.

[Watson] is utilizing the resources of the Alachua County Department of the Jail to commit new law violations... attempting to tamper and harass a victim.”

Judge William Davis granted the motion and ordered Watson to have no contact with Miles or Armstrong's mother, and for jail staff to enforce Watson not having any jail calls.

On October 16, 2023, Assistant State Attorney Christopher Elsey submitted a motion to compel Watson to provide buccal swabs to check for DNA matches on the firearms. Watson’s lawyer, Michael Ruppert, did not object to the motion, and it was granted by Davis.

On October 22, 2023, Ruppert motioned to allow Watson to have jail phone calls with his mother and only her. The motion went unopposed by prosecutors and was granted by Davis, presumably to their later regret, as they helped inmates disobey court orders, email records show.

On May 16, 2024, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Detective Clint Ferguson sent the following email to Lindsey Polk, the judicial assistant for Davis:

“So the defendant was given a modified order by Judge Davis for phone use, in that he can contact his mother. Well he has violated said order numerous times, by having his mother either contact directly or deliver messages through text messaging, to victims of the other phone restricted inmates. Below is a [snippet] of the calls that he has made to his mother of either him requesting her to contact others or her delivering messages. I quit counting after this point. Obviously the calls are recorded so if the Judge needed to hear any of the calls, I would be more than happy to provide them.”

Davis subsequently revoked Watson’s jail call privileges.

Watson’s trial began on December 8, 2025, with a conference and jury selection. The remainder of the legal battle lasted until December 16, with a three day break between the fifth and sixth day of the trial. Elsey was the attorney at the forefront of the prosecution, but he had support from Eighth Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office (SAO8) Major Crimes Chief Prosecutor Glenn Bryan.

Day 1:

Preliminary Conference

Watson’s defense and state prosecutors held a conference with Judge Robert Groeb before the trial began. When Davis became chief judge, Groeb picked up many cases on his docket.

The conference began with the court revealing that a witness was in jail in order to compel them to testify. “What’s the State’s position on what we should do?” Groeb asked, stating the witness is “here just by force.” Elsey confirmed they wanted to continue holding the witness until their testimony.

Groeb said police would treat the witness “like any other prisoner” until her testimony.

Watson and Ruppert, who was accompanied by a private investigator, had a conversation during the conference, which appeared to be related to potential evidence or witness testimony. At one point, Ruppert appeared to say something about "hearsay" and appeared to remark, "It's only what he has been told," but the majority of the conversation couldn't be made out.

Afterwards, Watson proclaimed his innocence and said they have a defense to “blow [this] case up,” indicating the proposition of a rebuttal witness.

Groeb said it was “not unusual” to have witnesses appear at the last minute in cases like Watson’s and that the court would have the means to get ahold of them if necessary.

It was also agreed among the prosecution and defense that they would try the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon count separately from the other three.

Jury Selection

Watson appeared back for the selection process in civilian clothes. He was wearing a standard jail uniform during the preliminary conference.

Throughout the selection process, Groeb, along with the prosecution and defense, asked the jurors several questions. Many personal stories were shared, as the jurors were legally required to tell the truth after taking an oath, and the court asked many questions relating to prior interactions with law enforcement and the judicial system.

Multiple jurors talked about family and close friends who’ve been affected by gun violence.

A few jurors indicated or outright said they could not be impartial because of prior experiences involving break-ins and robberies with themselves or close family/friends.

Elsey used analogies involving a movie called “The Town” and a blue pen to explain legal concepts to the jury, while Ruppert told the jury to consider when prosecutors prompt a response from a witness, like, “You were here and did this, correct?” Ruppert emphasized that in such cases, an affirmation would be coming from the lawyer, not the witness themselves.

Out of the few dozen people in the pool of prospective jurors, the prosecution and defense agreed on 12 jurors and one alternate but could not come to an agreement on the last remaining alternate, making the selection process last much longer.

After the jury was seated, Groeb ordered them to not look at any news articles on the case and to avoid all information presented outside of the courtroom. Groeb did not take away the jurors’ electronic devices or order them housed in a hotel for the duration of the trial.

Day 2:

Preliminary Matters

Before opening statements, a juror backed out, stating the effects of missing a concert he had to perform were overtaking his mind enough that he could not pay proper attention to material presented throughout the trial.

Although reluctant to do so, Groeb let the juror go as both the prosecution and defense agreed to release him, leaving 12 jurors and one alternate. Groeb commented there could be a “potential disaster” if something happened to two jurors, but this didn’t come up, with all jurors arriving to court every day throughout the trial.

Before the jury entered, Elsey asked Ruppert for a “status update on the potential defense witness,” stating it was “still up in the air.”

Ruppert said there was “progress” before going on to say that the witness doesn’t want to speak because he was afraid of prosecutors, but that it doesn’t fall under the right to remain silent. Ruppert floated the idea of a subpoena but called the witness risky and said he didn’t want to disclose a name in fear of potentially harming his client. Ruppert added that he wanted to “fully investigate things” in case the witness had important information.

Elsey refuted Ruppert for bringing the matter up three and a half years into the case as the trial was happening and said they would be in violation of discovery, i.e. evidence-related rules.

Groeb said, “It is time to fish or cut bait here,” but said he understands things can come up at the last minute before trial. Groeb told Ruppert he had a few hours, till 1 p.m. that day, to disclose the witness, or they wouldn’t be permitted to testify.

Watson began to attempt to say something to the court, and Groeb told him, “I don’t know if you want to do that, Mr. Watson. You might want to talk to Mr. Ruppert first.”

Ruppert had a quiet discussion with his client before the jury entered, but as Groeb was calling them in, Watson motioned to speak again but was unable to because the jury was about to enter.

Opening Statements

After Groeb informed jurors that opening statements are not evidence, Bryan presented an opening to their case.

Byran set the scene: A quiet neighborhood in Northeast Gainesville. It's 7 a.m., and people are getting ready for work. People are waking up, the sun is out and birds are chirping. Bryan said, “This home… There were several people sleeping inside. What happened next was one of the most traumatic things anyone can go through.”

Bryan went on to loudly bang his foot against the empty witness stand to demonstrate how the victims were awoken. “What that is, ladies and gentlemen, is two armed men kicking in the door,” he described. “Masked with guns coming in to rob them.”

Bryan introduced the victims to the jury, most of whom would be later called to the witness stand: Miles, his sister and her daughter D’halani Armstrong, along with Candice Williams. Bryan described Miles and Williams as having a “romantic relationship,” but throughout the trial it was shown it was more akin to a casual friends-with-benefits type of arrangement. Also inside the home was Armstrong's two-year-old sibling.

Bryan said that White entered and went right and encountered Armstrong, while Jason Ward went in the other direction. Bryan said White was “startled” when Armstrong exited the restroom, and he fired a shot, striking her in the arm.

Bryan described how Ward went through the kitchen area into an area of the house referred to as the den, where Williams and Miles were sleeping.

“We’re here today because of Patrick Owen Watson,” declared Bryan. “He’s also known as Godzilla.”

Bryan said the jury would see evidence that Watson set up the home invasion. “Watson and Dovico Miles were acquaintances,” he said. Bryan said they knew each other in 2010 before losing touch and linking back up in 2021 through Armstrong's mother, as she began dating Watson. Watson was living in the same home with her and Miles. Bryan said Armstrong's mother and Watson eventually got into a fight, and she kicked him out of the house. He said it was a big deal because Watson and Miles were in the drug business together, and Watson had left his supply at the house. Bryan said Watson no longer had access to the drugs, and he was upset about it, leading him to set up the home invasion/robbery.

Bryan said Watson began hanging out with Luckie, whom he described as “down on her luck.” Bryan said they were acquainted before, but Watson began hanging out with Luckie after he was kicked out, and he began telling her about a “lick,” which is street terminology for a robbery. Bryan said Watson promised Luckie money to participate in the home invasion.

Bryan said that on July 18, 2022, the day prior to the home invasion, Watson and Luckie were riding around Gainesville discussing a plan when they arrived at a Circle K, where Luckie ran into Ward. Luckie told Ward about the robbery and asked if he wanted in, and he said yes, getting in the car with Luckie. They proceeded to Luckie’s residence at Brookwood Terrace Apartments.

Bryan said that night, Luckie and Ward drove to the location and saw a lot of cars, along with Armstrong's mother standing outside the residence, contrary to the easy lick described by Watson. Bryan said Luckie began getting cold feet, and she was talking with Watson on the phone throughout the attempted robbery. Ward and Luckie returned to Brookwood Terrace empty-handed, and Watson was not happy, Bryan described.

Bryan said Ward brought in his nephew White to assist with the robbery, and Watson discussed details with them and Luckie, even saying the door would “be unlocked.”

Bryan also brought up Sarah Jacobs, who White brought over to Luckie’s residence, as she was a key witness to their communication with Watson prior to the home invasion.

Bryan went on to tell the jurors they’ll likely hear a defense that Watson’s co-defendants are only testifying for a plea deal, prompting an objection from Ruppert that was overruled by Groeb. Bryan said White, Ward and Luckie gave a full recount of the events and their involvement in the incident prior to any deal. Bryan added there will be further evidence, including ballistic evidence and DNA evidence, along with cell phone records showing Luckie was in contact with Watson throughout the course of the home invasion. “You don’t just have to rely on their testimony,” said Bryan.

Bryan began talking about “the Town” analogy, where Watson is compared to a movie character called “the Florist,” who set up a crime job without physically doing the robbery. Ruppert objected, but Groeb overruled him.

Ruppert had an opportunity to give an opening statement, but he took the option to reserve it for a later time. However, throughout the trial, Ruppert didn’t present any opening statement.

Prosecutors began calling their witnesses after opening statements.

Witness 1 | The Victim's Mother

Armstrong's mother said she met Watson on Facebook, and they started dating in the summer of 2021. She said that when he moved into her home, where her children also lived, it was “kind of forced.” She said that Miles moved in around November of that year and that he and Watson got along well initially. Elsey asked her if she was aware of “business dealings” between Watson and her brother, and she said she was unaware.

Elsey asked Armstrong's mother if her brother had any sleeping issues, and she said he does, describing Miles as randomly falling asleep in conversations, and said there have been instances where he has stopped breathing.

Armstrong's mother said that by the summer of 2022, she and Watson had issues in their relationship. She described herself as “sending him on his way” and said, “There’s always something. Something going on. Something I heard or the way he’s moving… You’ve got my car, but you're gone all day, you’re not answering the phone. There’s no excuse—you’re not working.”

Armstrong's mother went on to say that by early July 2022 the dating aspect of their relationship was over, but at the time she had a trip scheduled to South Florida for a surgery. Not having anyone to go with, she said she went with Watson because they were still amicable.

Elsey asked Armstrong's mother, “Without getting into details or specifics about what happened down in South Florida,” if she could tell him if things went well.

Armstrong's mother said the first day was fine, but after she got her surgery, Watson became “sick with something” and was “trying to leave,” and she suggested he go to the emergency room next door. As she began to divulge more detail, Elsey stopped her, asking her if it went “well or not well,” “without getting into specifics.” She said it didn't go well.

Elsey asked if Watson ever came over to the house after they broke up to get his belongings, and Armstrong's mother said yes. She went on to say that she was “furious” about “something [that] happened when we got back home,” referring to the South Florida trip with Watson.

Elsey asked Armstrong's mother for more information on the house’s layout. As Elsey was asking about a hallway, Ruppert objected, but Groeb overruled it.

As the testimony progressed, Elsey asked Armstrong's mother to recount the morning her daughter was killed. She described how she woke up to “booms and kicks” before hearing gunshots, causing her to hide with her young son in the bathtub. She recounted hearing an intruder say, “Where she at?” and Armstrong said she didn’t know what he was talking about before gunshots and her saying, “Please stop shooting me.”

Armstrong's mother said the night prior, she had her son sleep on the same bed as her, which usually doesn’t happen, but something was tugging on her.

Armstrong's mother said that later on, she called Watson and told him that her daughter was killed, and Watson, who was in Ocala at the time, said, “Oh no.” Eventually she met up with him in person, and Watson acted “so hurt,” described Armstrong's mother.

Elsey asked if Armstrong and Watson got along well, and Armstrong's mother said, “Not at all.”

She said that Watson told her he lost his phone on the way to her address. She described how when they were together, news reports started coming in about the home invasion and arrests of Ward, Luckie and White. Armstrong's mother said Watson initially claimed to not know the trio but later on said he had met Luckie through another guy. Watson said she was trying to get him to “set people up,” saying she “had me going places with her,” Armstrong's mother described.

Armstrong's mother described Watson bringing an individual named Guado to speak with her. Armstrong's mother said Guado was “off-topic” when he spoke to her, indicating that Watson wanted him to talk to her about something regarding Luckie wanting to set something up.

During a break in testimony, Watson, who was previously disciplined for abusing his phone privileges, appeared disparaged by his lack of communication ability in jail. Groeb said he’d be willing to let Watson and Ruppert take moments during the trial to speak if needed.

Ruppert made a motion for a mistrial over Armstrong's mother's testimony, arguing she made statements prejudicing his case. Groeb did not accept the motion, saying prosecutors aren't putting forward any separate collateral criminal action against Watson.

Armstrong's mother and the jury were let back into the room, and Ruppert began cross-examining her. Ruppert asked her about her relationship with Watson and if he was able to come and go or whether or not he had a key, and she said he never had a key.

Ruppert asked about her money and if she had $10,000 in a safe, and Armstrong's mother said she kept some money in her Bible and some in her safe but not that much.

Ruppert asked about a woman he referred to as “Candy” and asked if there were issues with her, and Armstrong's mother said there wasn’t.

Ruppert said, “You heard rumors about Candy being involved in—”

“Calls for hearsay,” Elsey interjected.

Groeb said, “Let me hear the question first.”

Ruppert asked Armstrong's mother if she heard Candy was involved in “other nefarious activities such as—”

Elsey objected again for the same reason.

Groeb asked Ruppert if he was asking what someone else told Armstrong's mother. Ruppert said the question was akin to her “state of mind” regarding whether she was willing to have Candice Williams, A.K.A. Candy, at the house.

Groeb sustained Elsey's objection.

Ruppert asked Armstrong's mother if she had previously met Williams, and she said she didn’t know her at all.

Ruppert went on to ask if she believed the intruder was referring to Williams when they said, “Where she at?” Armstrong's mother said she didn’t know.

After her testimony, Ruppert informed the court he wasn’t ready to disclose a potential defense witness, and Groeb said his ruling from the morning stands.

Witness 2 | GPD Officer William Kaastra

William Kaastra told the court he was working as a patrol officer at the time of the home invasion and was the first officer on scene after reports of the shooting came in.

Kaastra said he parked around the corner from the scene and walked up on foot because he didn’t want to be stuck in his car if shots were still being fired. Kaastra said he initially went to a house across the street, and a neighbor pointed out the incident location.

Kaastra said he arrived on the scene to a woman saying her baby was shot. Kaastra said he “had the female step back,” and then he went to the front door, where he encountered a “heavy-set male with no shirt and gray boxers on,” who he later identified as Miles.

Kaastra said he went to “clear the residence” after Miles told him someone had been shot.

“I wanna go in and make sure no outstanding subjects or suspects are in the house, or any other victims, before I can begin to render aid,” said Kaastra.

“Make sure it’s a safe place for you to operate before you let your guard down, I guess,” Elsey said.

“Right,” Kaastra replied.

Prosecutors went on to show the jury body camera footage from Kaastra's point of view, showing him walking around the residence while Armstrong was on the ground dying from her injuries, because, as he put it, he had to make sure the house was safe and if there were any other victims.

Soon after Kaastra returned inside, someone in the house voiced that Armstrong needs help.

“They’re coming. I need to make sure it’s safe first,” Kaastra responded.

The footage also showed Kaastra pointing a gun at Miles when they first made contact.

While clearing the house, Kaastra observed a dropped firearm in the backyard and a smashed-out window.

When he and officers began rendering Armstrong aid, she was still alive but had minimal breathing and wasn’t saying anything, Kaastra said.

While footage of officers treating Armstrong played, Watson faced the screen and could be observed bringing a tissue to his face.

Kaastra went on to say he got a suspect description about a “heavy-set Black male” and realized it was the guy he made contact with earlier. Soon after, Kaastra detained Miles with another officer, and he was formally arrested shortly thereafter.

Witness 3 | Sgt. Aaron Wagle

When asked about his position at GPD, Aaron Wagle referred to himself as the "Sergeant of the front desk," explaining that when an incident gets reported online, he or his staff will review it. Wagle was previously a patrol sergeant at the time of the murder.

Describing the shots fired call, Wagle said, “We only received one notification of the call at this point.” Wagle said when they get shots fired calls, they “don’t know whether it’s valid or not” and that officers are “prepared for the worst,” but “sometimes it’s nothing and sometimes it’s something.”

Wagle described arriving on scene to “people yelling and screaming” and described Armstrong as “flopping around.” Wagle said she was likely bleeding internally and that they put a chest seal and tourniquet on the respective areas where she was shot. “We did the best that we can until EMS gets there,” Wagle said.

Wagle described Armstrong as in an “altered state of consciousness,” “not responsive,” and “fighting for her life.”

Wagle went on to say that after EMS arrived, they carried Armstrong out on a blanket.

Witness 4 | Levy County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Brooke Shutterly

Brooke Shutterly now works for the Levy County Sheriff’s Office, but she worked for GPD as a corporal at the time of the murder.

Prosecutors showed the jury Shutterly’s body camera video, showing she responded to the scene and found White suffering from a gunshot wound nearby to the incident location. White was moaning in pain and screamed, “Stop, please,” when Shutterly put pressure on the wound. Shutterly asked White who shot him, and he said it was his cousin who didn’t realize who he was.

Witness 5 | GPD Cpl. Jacob Sowards

Jacob Sowards gave a short testimony following Shutterly, as his involvement in the incident stemmed from responding with her to White’s injuries and securing the crime scene. Sowards also obtained some security camera videos.

Witness 6 | GPD Ofc. Rebecca White

Rebecca White said she responded to the hospital after Ward was brought in with a gunshot wound. She said he was alert and conscious at first.

Rebecca White described Alderious White saying he didn’t know when asked who shot him, and then began losing consciousness.

Prosecutors showed images of Ward in the hospital, showing he had a patch on his chest and a bandage and medical equipment along his arm.

Ward was initially at Millhopper Hospital but later transferred to Shands, where Alderious White also received treatment.

Witness 7 | GPD Lt. Sarah Shipman

Sarah Shipman worked in forensics at the time of the murder, and she recounted responding to the scene and meeting up with Russano, who was the lead detective on the case.

Shipman said she administered a gunshot residue kit (GSR) on Miles after he was transported to GPD. She also collected GSRs from Ward and Alderious White, and took photographs of their injuries.

Prosecutors showed medical photographs of Alderious White, and he had medical equipment all around his body.

**The evidence control form in Watson's case includes a short description of Ward and Alderious White's medical photos** (Alachua County Court Records)

After she finished up at the hospital, Shipman returned to the crime scene. She said she learned that the resident, later determined to be Miles, had “left the residence with some items in his possession and [went] into the backyard area.” As she searched the area, Shipman found items on the other side of a fence. Shipman said she located a large quantity of drugs and a digital scale. Shipman said the drugs were sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for testing. Shipman said the drugs were pills, what appeared to be crack, and what they believed to be a kilo of cocaine.

Witness 8 | (Retired) Investigator Bret Starr

Bret Starr was responsible for collecting and securing evidence at the crime scene, which included photos of the scene and ballistics evidence.

Prosecutors went through a multitude of photographs taken by Starr at the scene. They showed a picture of a handgun he found before showing the actual gun to the jurors within a secure casing. Throughout the trial, prosecutors did the same for the other involved firearms.

Starr said he did a walkthrough of all areas of the residence to look for evidence. He said in the backyard he found a brown satchel bag with what appeared to be a bloodstain on it. Inside was a roll of duct tape.

Prosecutors showed pictures Starr took of the residence’s door with a section of the doorframe broken off. Several pictures of bullet impacts and shell casings were shown. Starr also found narcotics in a storage container inside the home.

Starr discussed finding a safe at the residence, which they obtained a search warrant for, revealing over $10,000 inside. The key was found in shoes Miles was carrying when he was detained; however, Starr indicated that police didn’t locate the key in the shoes until later.

Ruppert gave a cross-examination on Starr where he questioned which items he decided to swab and asked him questions relating to DNA, which Starr said he wasn't an expert on.

Ruppert questioned Starr on the firearms’ capacity, and he said he can't tell what their capacity was prior to when the shooting started.

Day 3:

Witness 9 | Dovico Miles

Deputies walked Miles into the courtroom wearing an ACSO Jail uniform and chains around his ankles.

Gainesville police arrested Miles after his niece’s murder and charged him with tampering with evidence for wrapping guns up and placing them in an overgrown area, as well as possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

Russano wrote Miles' arrest report, stating the following:

“On [July 19, 2022], two armed home invaders entered [Miles'] home. One of the invaders held [Miles] and his friend at gunpoint while the other shot and killed [his] niece. [Miles] wrestled a black and chrome handgun away from the invader that held him and his friend at gunpoint. [A witness] observed [Miles] shooting at one of the armed home invaders in the front yard of [his] home as the armed home invader ran from the home. The witness further observed that the gun [Miles] was holding was silver on 'top.'

Post-Miranda Warning [Miles] stated that he took that 'chrome' topped gun he wrestled away from the home invader along with two other 'rusted' guns he had in and around his home and wrapped them in a black t-shirt away from the home invader along with two other ‘rusted’ guns he had in and around his home... [Miles] stated he hid the guns wrapped in the black t-shirt in an overgrown area on the other side of his chain-link fence because he knew he could not possess a firearm as a convicted felon.

Detectives observed the butt end of a semi-automatic handgun sticking out from under the black t-shirt. Further investigation revealed the 3 firearms wrapped in the t-shirt.

[Miles] is a convicted felon. Citrus County Case # 092003CF000189XXXAXX [Charge: Selling, manufacturing, delivering or trafficking drugs].

[Miles] is currently on federal supervised release.”

It is widely reported in several news articles and police reports that Ward was shot with his own gun when went off during a struggle with Miles, and then he shot Alderious White with Ward’s gun. A supplemental discovery exhibit filed in Watson's case indicates that this information was at least partly based on Candice Williams’ testimony. According to a document submitted by prosecutors, she revealed at a pretrial meeting that Miles “did have his own gun in the den when the incident commenced.”

**The State Attorney‘s Office’s 19th supplemental discovery exhibit in Patrick Watson's case shows a witness changed her testimony.** (Alachua County Court Records)

Miles' local charges were dropped, but only because he was placed under federal prosecution for gun and drug charges.

**Dovico Miles' Case Action Report** (Alachua County Court Records)

According to federal court records, Elsey was the federal prosecutor on Miles’ case until July 2023.

**Dovico Miles V. USA | Prosecutor Information** (PACER)

Elsey asked Miles if his incarceration was “as a result of what happened on July 19, 2022,” and he responded with the affirmative. Elsey confirmed with Miles that he’d previously been convicted of eight felonies, with the federal charges still pending. Elsey confirmed with him that the charges are possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Elsey asked about the status of the case, and Miles indicated he entered a guilty or no contest plea and was awaiting sentencing.

Elsey asked if he had a negotiated sentence based on the plea, and Miles said he doesn’t and is facing life from Northern Florida District Chief Judge Allen Winsor.

**Northern Florida District Chief Judge Allen Winsor** (Wiki)

Elsey asked Miles if he hopes Winsor will take into consideration that he cooperated with the prosecution, and he said he does but that he hasn’t been promised anything. He said that’s not his primary motive for testifying.

Miles said his motive is to “get justice for my family and my niece, and myself as well.”

Elsey asked Miles if he knew Luckie and Ward, and he said he didn’t. Elsey then asked if he knew Alderious White, and Miles confirmed he knew his dad and they worked on car detailing together. Miles confirmed he’d seen Alderious White before but didn’t have any type of relationship.

Miles confirmed he knew Watson, meeting him in 2009. Miles said they knew each other for a couple of years as friends but lost contact for a while until meeting again in 2021. He said before Watson started dating Armstrong's mother, she showed him a picture of Watson on Facebook as someone she was talking to, asking if he knew him.

Elsey asked Miles to identify Watson. Watson stood up as Miles made the identification, prompting Deputy Brian Helmerson to tell him to sit.

Elsey asked about the “business component” to Miles and Watson’s relationship.

Miles confirmed he sold drugs with Watson. “He would help me out. I would use his supply, he would use my supply,” he said.

Miles explained that he was under a probationary curfew, and Watson would help him do things he couldn’t by being able to move around more. As things progressed, the two went in on larger quantities of drugs together, Miles said, such as going half and half on a kilo.

Miles said the drugs involved were “cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana [and] ecstasy pills.” He said he would keep the drugs in a dresser drawer in a storage room.

Miles explained that when Watson was living in the house, he gave him a firearm.

Miles recalled a 4th of July party at the house, stating Watson shot a gun in the air.

Miles said business with Watson remained smooth until a situation with him and his sister in Miami. “She called me crying,” he said. Armstrong's mother told him over the phone that she wanted Watson out of the house. This was about two weeks before the home invasion, Miles said.

Miles said that once his sister called him crying, he decided to keep Watson’s supply.

Miles said there was an occasion where Watson came back to the house after getting kicked out, and Watson looked at him “like 'I want the dope,' shaking his head.”

Miles said a day before the incident, Watson called him asking, “Where are the drugs at?” Miles told him that the drugs were gone.

Miles said the money in the safe belonged to him.

Elsey asked Miles about his relationship with Williams, which he confirmed was friends with benefits. He confirmed his firearm was on the table beside him when they went to sleep the night before.

Miles said he woke up to a “bang a lang a lang” sound and two gunshots, hearing an intruder say, “Where he at? Where’s he at?” Soon after, a masked intruder, later learned to be Ward, entered the room.

Miles said Ward asked him “Where it’s at?” and kicked him. He said Williams was screaming and that Ward attempted to shoot her when he noticed the gun was jammed, and he then reached for his own firearm. Once he retrieved the pistol, he tried to shoot Ward but then realized the gun was on safety, prompting Ward to run away. Miles said he pursued Ward and shot him in the storage room area.

Miles said he asked Ward, “Who sent you?” and he was like, “Please don’t kill me.”

After he left Ward, Miles said he observed a masked individual, later learned to be Alderious White, with his arm around Armstrong’s neck and a gun to her head.

At this point, the court took a lunch break. When the jury exits the room, members and attendees of the courtroom are required to stand. As the jury was leaving, Miles and Watson appeared to make direct eye contact with each other, looking as if they would have fought if not for the chains and deputies between them.

As Watson was let back in the room after lunch, Helmerson told him, “I appreciate you trying to help, but do me a favor and remain in your seat.” Miles was let back into the room soon after, and with the way the doors and tables were set up, he had to walk right past Watson when he entered and exited the courtroom.

Before the jurors were let back in, Elsey brought up the witness who was jailed to compel her to testify, who he revealed to be Williams, stating they planned to call her after Miles’ testimony. Elsey explained they hadn’t spoken to her since her arrest and didn't know if she would want to answer questions or be in a hostile state.

“It’ll be pretty simple in my mind,” said Groeb. “She’ll either testify, or I’ll send her right back to jail and hold her indefinitely, and I’ll make that very clear to her. She’ll never see the light of day if she doesn't cooperate with that subpoena.”

Elsey floated the idea of addressing Williams outside of the jury’s presence first, and Groeb said, “I’m willing to just let it unfold in front of the jury with everyone knowing that’s gonna be the outcome if she doesn’t cooperate.”

The jury was let back into the room and Miles resumed his testimony. Miles explained that when he saw Alderious White with his arm around Armstrong’s neck and a gun to her head, they were facing towards him. Miles said he fired a “scare shot” to get him to let his niece go. He said Alderious White then threw Armstrong down and began running away down the hallway and attempted to escape through the bathroom window. As he was climbing out, Miles said he shot at him. Miles pursued Alderious White outside the residence and shot him. After he fell, Alderious White told him, “I didn’t know you stay here cuh. Please don't kill me,” Miles described, saying he asked who sent him.

Miles said he then reentered the residence into the storage room, where Ward still was, and then got the drugs out of the drawer. Elsey asked about his motive, and Miles said he knew he’d “get into a world of trouble.” Miles said he opened a door and allowed Ward to exit the residence.

Miles also disclosed how he hid multiple firearms at the house in an overgrown area after the shooting.

Miles said he then returned inside and saw Armstrong suffering from her injuries, saying Williams and his sister were sitting with her. He said she was getting short breath and he told her he loved her and that she’d be okay. He said she was saying, “I’m hurt, I’m hurt.”

Elsey asked Miles if after being arrested by police, he attempted to “avoid criminal responsibility for the drugs and the guns.” Miles confirmed that he initially told police he disarmed an intruder and defended himself with their firearm but later sat down with law enforcement along with state and federal prosecutors and gave them a more truthful account.

During cross-examination, Ruppert asked Miles when he pleaded to his pending federal charges, and he said awhile ago.

“Your set for sentencing? Is that correct?” Ruppert asked.

“Yes sir,” Miles responded.

“But you’re not gonna be set for sentencing until the conclusion of this trial? Is that correct?” Ruppert asked.

Miles said his sentencing date was scheduled, and Ruppert responded that it “keeps getting moved off" because Watson's case had to be resolved before sentencing. Miles confirmed that was correct.

Ruppert accused Miles of “making a deal” and trying to “help himself.” Miles said he didn’t make a deal but would like help, and that it's something the judge may take into consideration.

Ruppert asked Miles if Watson had a key, and he responded saying he did.

Ruppert asked if Williams had been texting with anyone, and it wasn’t something Miles said he could confirm.

On the redirect, Elsey confirmed with Miles that he saw Ward attempt to shoot Williams.

On the defense’s re-cross, Ruppert told Miles it would not be possible for him to see the physical mechanism of a gun jam, and that he couldn’t have seen Ward attempt to shoot Williams.

On January 13, 2026, Winsor sentenced Miles to 20 years in prison.

**Dovico Miles' Case Information** (PACER)

Witness 10 | Candice Williams

Deputies walked Williams into the courtroom wearing an ACSO Jail uniform and chains around her ankles.

Elsey confirmed with Williams that she was in custody because she indicated she was not going to appear at the trial.

Elsey asked Williams about her relationship with Miles, which she affirmed was on again–off again.

Elsey asked Williams if she had any sort of relationship with Armstrong's mother or Armstrong, and she said she didn’t. She confirmed she saw Watson at the house, but they didn’t have any sort of relationship.

Recounting the night of the murder, Williams said she heard a female voice asking the shooter, “Why was he shooting her?” Williams began getting emotional as she spoke.

Elsey asked Williams if she got an opportunity to talk to Miles before law enforcement talked to everyone, and she said she didn’t recall and thinks they all got shuffled about their separate ways. Elsey asked specifically if they had any conversations about what she’d say about the firearms. Williams responded “no.” Elsey attempted to confirm with her that she told GPD Miles didn’t have his own gun, and she said, “It is possible.”

On cross-examination, Ruppert asked Williams if she knew Miles as a “big-time drug dealer.” She said she didn’t know anything about the drugs in the house.

Ruppert asked Williams if she contacted anyone while at the house, which she denied.

On redirect, Elsey upfront asked Williams what Ruppert alluded to, asking, “Did you orchestrate a home invasion of Dovico while you were in the house that night?” which she denied.

Elsey asked about her relationship with Ward, and Williams said they knew each other through her family member but that they didn’t have any form of relationship.

Williams went on to say, “I have nothing to hide. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Elsey asked if she communicated information she received about Ward going to the hospital to a detective, and Williams responded with the affirmative.

After her testimony, Williams was held in jail until the end of the week under Groeb’s orders, and her contempt of court case was dismissed.

Witness 11 | GPD Ofc. Amanda Figueredo

Amanda Figueredo talked about receiving a “Be on the Lookout” (BOLO) notification for Luckie’s gray Dodge Dart while patrolling around Butler Plaza. She said one of their cameras caught the vehicle traveling in the area, and she began searching around local businesses and apartment complexes.

Figueredo eventually located a vehicle at Aqua at Windmeadows Apartments. Soon after, Luckie exited the apartment and approached the vehicle, prompting officers to arrest her.

Witness 12 | Sgt. David Blizzard

David Blizzard discussed responding to the murder after receiving a call from Russano.

Regarding the BOLO for Luckie’s vehicle, Blizzard said, “I entered that tag into license plate readers that we have throughout the city. We have a Flock system and a Vigilant system. They’re stationary cameras that capture vehicle tags as they drive by.”

Bryan asked Blizzard if they can get a notification when a specific vehicle drives by.

Blizzard responded, "You can enter a tag and put like an alert on it… Some of these camera systems interface with state and national databases. Say there’s an expired tag; some of these systems will alert when an expired tag drives through.”

Blizzard clarified that in this case he was just entering Luckie’s tag to see if there had been a hit. He said he responded to arrest her with Figueredo and other officers. He said Luckie’s vehicle was secured and towed from the apartment complex.

Blizzard said that later on he helped serve a search warrant at Luckie’s apartment complex.

Witness 13 | Tiara Luckie

With her case concluding in late 2022, Luckie’s case was resolved far quicker than her co-defendants.

Luckie was represented by Huntley Johnson, an attorney famous for defending Gators athletes accused of legal wrongdoing.

In a plea deal, Luckie received less punishment than Miles would later receive, getting 15 years of probation. She was granted a withheld adjudication of second-degree murder after the fact.

Under the conditions of her probation, Luckie can’t make contact with the Miles family or any of her co-defendants. Under her plea, she promised to testify truthfully at trial. She also completed a six-month residential drug treatment program.

Elsey asked Luckie if she had “been clean” from drugs since she started her probation, and she said she had. Elsey asked if she was on drugs during the incident, and she said she was, saying in the summer of 2022 she was smoking molly every day.

Elsey asked Luckie how she began using molly. She said she was smoking a Black & Mild, and her friend rolled up one laced with molly and one not, and he gave her the wrong one. She said ever since then she had been on the drug.

Elsey asked Luckie where she worked at the time she started using drugs, and she responded that she was working as a correctional officer in the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC). She said she quit soon after because she didn’t feel she was “doing right” by her job.

Luckie said that when she smoked molly, she felt “relaxed” and “didn’t really care about anything.” She said she has some issues with remembering things that occurred when she used the drug heavily. Elsey asked her if she had a clear memory of the morning of the murder; she said she remembers the “main events” and “small details.”

Luckie said that after working at the FDC, she worked at Pizza Hut. She said she had been living with her parents but ended up moving out to live in her co-worker Ryan Booth’s residence at Brookwood Terrace Apartments. She said he agreed to let her take over the lease, and she would get to live there free for the two months Booth had left on it.

Elsey asked Luckie about her relationship with Ward, and she said they smoked together and knew each other for a couple of years. She said that people who smoke the same stuff tend to hang out at the same places and that they’d smoke when they run into each other. She said she didn’t meet Alderious White until Ward brought him in for the robbery and had known Watson for a few weeks prior.

Luckie said she met Watson through Guado, who she smoked molly with. She said she learned from Watson that he was having relationship issues and had a drug dispute with Miles. Luckie described Watson saying how there was money, along with drugs and jewelry, in the house he wanted to get.

Luckie said she previously helped Watson drop a car off at the Miles’ home but did not enter the residence.

Luckie said Guado told them he did not want to participate in the robbery.

Luckie said that while planning the robbery with Watson the night of July 18, 2023, she coincidentally ran into Ward, who she referred to as “Fam,” at the Circle K.

Luckie described that after being coached by Watson, she and Ward attempted to pull up on the Miles’ residence but backed out after seeing a woman, later identified as Armstrong's mother, standing outside. She said that she had a revolver she found in Booth's apartment, and Ward had a gun that Watson gave to him.

Luckie said that after communicating with Watson, she and Ward returned to Brookwood Terrace, and Ward brought in Alderious White soon after. She said Watson provided a plan and information about the house.

Luckie said that Ward and Alderious White used her car and returned with a white female, later identified as Jacobs. Luckie said she did not invite Jacobs and was not happy about her presence. She said Jacobs and Alderious White went upstairs to the bedroom.

Luckie said on the second attempt her role was just to drive and that she and her co-defendants agreed to split the money. She said she didn’t see Alderious White’s gun but knew he had one. She said when they left Brookwood Terrace, Watson and Jacobs were still at the apartment.

Luckie said when they arrived there was an additional vehicle at the house, causing concern. She said first they just drove by and then spoke with Watson, then drove by again and stopped out front. Ward got out and checked the front door before returning the vehicle. Ward said the door was locked, contrary to information provided by Watson. Soon after, they drove up a third time, and Luckie parked in the yard while Ward and Alderious White committed the home invasion.

Luckie said that when Ward got back in the car, he said, “It wasn’t sweet.” She said that after dropping him off at his cousin’s house, she returned to Brookwood Terrace.

Luckie went on to disclose that she threw away items of evidentiary value like a phone and Ward’s wallet.

Luckie said she was not truthful in her initial interview with detectives, but she later gave a proffer where she gave a more accurate account of events.

Elsey asked Luckie why Watson didn’t just go to the Miles’ home himself and take the stuff he wanted, and she said, “He was very upset with the girlfriend, the brother,” before stating Watson would’ve “[taken] everyone out.” Elsey asked her to specify what she meant, and Luckie said, “Kill 'em.”

On Ruppert’s cross-examination, he asked Luckie if she remembered Johnson, her attorney, “starting off the whole proffer with an [explanation].” Elsey objected, citing hearsay. The attorneys engaged in a private conversation with Groeb, referred to as a sidebar. Groeb overruled Elsey’s objection. Ruppert re-asked the question, asking Luckie if it was true that Johnson “spoke first and told the whole story of what happened” before she gave her own rendition. Luckie said she couldn’t recall.

As the cross-examination continued, Luckie said that in her initial interview with police she "straight out lied" and that in her second interview she "wasn't telling the whole truth" but was "scared of the retaliation" if she did so.

“But there was no third time,” Ruppert said.

“Not at the jail, no,” Luckie replied.

Ruppert asked Luckie about her financial issues and confirmed she didn’t have money to take over the lease at Brookwood Terrace. Ruppert asked her if she was gambling on her phone, and she said, “When I had the money, yes.” Ruppert asked her if she was successful in gambling, and she said, “sometimes.”

Ruppert asked Luckie about her significant other, and she said they weren’t together but were talking. Ruppert confirmed the individual was marked as “Bae” in her phone, which stands for “before anyone else.”

Ruppert asked Luckie if she sent “Bae” a text message indicating she was going to come into some money, and she said she doesn’t recall but admitted she sent it. Ruppert said that Luckie said she would make “real boss moves” in the texts.

Day 4:

Before proceedings began on Day 4, Deputy Helmerson engaged in conversation with court staff and the prosecution while the defense was absent from the room. “Ruppert doesn’t have any witnesses,” Helmerson said.

Elsey said Ruppert would try to “talk his way” out of it.

“I’m willing to listen to his line of dog doo-doo as long as he brings a shovel with him,” Helmerson said.

Witness 14 | GPD Investigator Matt Sides

Matt Sides said he responded to the scene around 2:00 p.m. At that time, the residence was closed off, and Starr had been working the scene for a few hours. Starr asked Sides to help with searching for shell casings in the house and front yard.

Sides said he located one .40 caliber shell casing and two 9mm shell casings. Many more were found on the scene by other officers.

Sides said he helped with locating and retrieving fired projectiles in the hallway and master bathroom.

The day after the shooting, Luckie’s vehicle was towed to a storage facility. Sides said he processed the vehicle for DNA and evidence after a detective obtained a search warrant. Sides noted that two phones were recovered in the search.

As the investigation continued, Sides collected fingerprint samples from Watson and Alderious White.

Witness 15 | Ryan Booth

A former co-worker of Luckie at Pizza Hut, Ryan Booth said he allowed her to take over his lease at Brookwood Terrace but that she would have to clean up the apartment. Booth said he was living alone at the time, and his other roommate had already moved out.

Booth said he wasn’t friends with Luckie but that they got along at work.

Booth confirmed he did not charge Luckie rent and was not checking in on the apartment while she lived there. He said from text messages sent by Luckie, she made it sound like she was keeping the apartment clean, but he later found out that wasn’t the case.

Booth said that by July 19, 2022, he’d been out of the apartment for about a week or two, and that he found out about her arrest through a news article, stating his “sister’s husband’s family are family friends with Luckie’s family,” indicating his brother-in-law sent him a news article about it.

Booth said that immediately after he found out, he went to the apartment to see what the situation was. Booth said the apartment was “worse” than how he left it, referencing cigarette ash in the carpet and Luckie’s belongings around the house. “Not clean,” he said.

Booth said that when he was going through the apartment, two detectives arrived and asked him questions. They asked to conduct a search, which he allowed.

Bryan asked if there were any firearms in the apartment, and Booth said his roommate owned a revolver, which he left him. Booth said he kept it in a safe inside his closet. Booth said the firearm remained in the apartment when he vacated the residence.

On the cross-examination, Ruppert asked Booth more about the lease agreement between him and Luckie, and he confirmed she would’ve had to talk to the property manager about taking over the lease, adding that he believed she was living in her parent’s garage before moving in. Booth said he offered the apartment because her garage didn’t have air conditioning.

Ruppert referenced seeing an electric bike parked out front of Luckie’s residence on video and asked Booth if he knew the owner or anything about it. Booth said he didn’t know the owner and had never seen the bike before.

Witness 16 | SAO8 Investigator Tom Mullins

Tom Mullins currently works at SAO8 but he was employed as a GPD detective at the time of the murder.

Mullins said he went to GPD Headquarters after hearing about that shooting because detectives were on scene and witnesses were at the station. He said he helped interview Williams and Miles.

Mullins went on to say, “We were trying to gather some evidence… We learned that there was a house across the street that had surveillance… We reviewed some of that. We were able to see quite a bit of what transpired outside of the house… and just after it took place.”

Mullins said the footage caught Miles carrying bags outside the home after the incident. “It seemed kinda odd that immediately after this incident he was leaving the house carrying bags… coming back empty-handed… going back with another bag…” Mullins said.

Mullins said in one corner of the residence, over a fence, they located the handguns: two revolvers and a semi-automatic pistol. Mullins recalled finding vape cartridges around a stove in the backyard. Mullins said more bags were found, and recalled drugs in some, and one bag having USB thumb drives.

Mullins said that he responded to interview Luckie in her first interview, and she denied any part in the incident. He said that when she gave a proffer, he wasn’t present but learned she gave more information.

Mullins said he and Blizzard responded to Brookwood Terrace and spoke with Booth before getting a search warrant for the apartment. He confirmed Booth gave them permission, but they still wanted to get a search warrant.

Mullins described the apartment as “messy” and “consistent with someone who might be moving out.”

Bryan showed pictures of the Brookwood Terrace apartment; inside, police found a bullet tucked inside a couch cushion that was the same make as shell casings on the scene, along with other items of evidentiary value, which included two phones, gloves, and Ward’s wallet inside of a trashcan. Mullins clarified the items were “buried” in the trashcan, and they had to move trash on top of it.

During cross-examination, Ruppert asked Mullins about the electric bike outside Booth’s residence and if there was ever any attempt to find out the owner, which he said there wasn’t.

Ruppert asked Mullins about Luckie’s initial story and affirmed she said something along the lines of loaning her car to Ward so he could pick up his kid. Mullins said it's common for individuals to withhold the full truth in situations like this.

Witness 17 | Antonio Matthews, A.K.A. Guado

Before getting into his testimony, Elsey asked Antonio Matthews if he had ever been convicted of a felony and if the number 13 sounded accurate.

“Somewhat around there,” Matthews said.

Matthews said he met Watson around a week or two before the murder. He said a woman was supposed to introduce him to “Vico” to obtain narcotics, but when he arrived at the residence, he met with “Godzilla” instead.

Matthews referenced knowing “Breeze,” which was a nickname for Luckie, who he said he met three or four days before meeting Watson. Matthews said he initially believed he was the one who introduced Luckie to Watson, but looking back he sees a lot of red flags and that “something wasn’t adding up.”

Elsey asked if Luckie appeared close with Watson, and Matthews responded with the affirmative.

Matthews said the last time he saw Watson and Luckie was the night before the murder. Matthews recalled Watson saying he had to “run down on some" n-words "who owed him some money.”

Matthews said he told Watson he had his “own shit going on."

Elsey asked Matthews how he interpreted the “run down” comment, and Matthews replied, “He was saying he had a couple of spots, he was going to pick up money… shit like that. I really don’t know, like I said, I got my own things going on.”

Elsey confirmed with Matthews that the conversation took place in Luckie’s vehicle.

Matthews said that soon after he found out about the murder and the arrests of Luckie, Alderious White and Ward, Watson came over to his house to “make sure he had nothing to do with it.” He said Watson wanted him to talk to Armstrong's mother about it, which he did to tell her he wasn’t involved.

During cross-examination, Ruppert asked Matthews if he had “no idea” what Watson was talking about when he said he’d “run down” on some n-words for money.

Matthews said he was under the impression Watson had “multiple spots” where people were working for him.

Ruppert asked, “That’s not unusual in the drug business?”

“Oh nah,” Matthews responded.

On the redirect, Elsey asked if drug dealers often use “violence," “force,” and “weapons” to get their money.

“Yep, I’m from Miami, so yeah, definitely,” Matthews replied.

On the defense’s re-cross, Ruppert asked Matthews if it would be rare for violence to be employed on multiple spots for money collection, and Matthews said it generally depends. Sometimes negotiation can take place, but if that falls through “you going to do what you gotta do,” he said.

Witness 18 | Jason Ward

Deputies walked Ward into the courtroom in an ACSO Jail uniform with chains around his ankles.

Elsey confirmed with Ward that as part of his plea, he agreed to testify truthfully and was allowed to plead down from first-degree felony murder to second-degree murder. Ward confirmed he was sentenced to 30 years in prison with a 20-year minimum mandatory for discharging a firearm during the incident.

Elsey confirmed with Ward that he has 13 total felonies.

Ward talked about how he first became involved, recalling how he was at the gas station with a friend and ran into Luckie the day before the murder.

Elsey asked Ward how he first met Luckie, and he confirmed he met her while serving a sentence at the (now closed) Gainesville Correctional Institution when she worked as a correctional officer.

Ward said at the gas station, Luckie told him she had a “big lick” going on. Ward explained how he was going through a rough patch at the time: a breakup, quitting his job, being in the process of getting his commercial driver’s license and getting involved with molly. “I was trying to pick it up a little bit and get myself together,” he said. Ward said he was hurting for cash and agreed to participate in the robbery, and that when he got in Luckie’s car, she introduced him to “Godzilla.”

Ward said that Watson told him “a guy he was doing business transactions with swapped his drugs, and that $250,000 was in the house.”

Ward gave a similar account of events as Luckie and referenced previously going to the Miles’ home to pick up drugs.

Ward said Watson gave him a firearm, told him the door would be open, and told him about Miles’ sleeping disorder.

Elsey asked Ward why Watson didn’t want to participate himself, and Ward said Watson was afraid of being recognized.

Ward said during the first attempt with Luckie, she had a revolver with her, but it did not have any bullets. Ward referenced Luckie calling Watson, who made it sound like an easy robbery.

Ward described Watson as “a little agitated” when they returned to Brookwood Terrace empty-handed.

Ward recounted picking up Jacobs with Aldrious White and bringing her back to Brookwood Terrace, to Luckie’s displeasure. Ward said Watson went upstairs behind Jacobs and Alderious White.

Ward recalled using a blue shirt as a mask. He mentioned they brought a roll of duct tape in case they needed to tie anybody up so they couldn’t call someone when they left. Ward said Watson also gave Alderious White a firearm.

Recalling the home invasion, Ward said that he went in towards the den while his nephew went the other direction. Ward said when he entered, Williams and Miles were lying down on a mattress.

Ward said Williams was screaming while Miles was fumbling around in his clothes like he was reaching for something.

Elsey asked Ward if he knew who Williams was, and he said he didn’t. Elsey asked if he knew her prior, and Ward said Williams was “a friend of a friend of an ex-girlfriend,” and they’ve been in the same area at cookouts but didn’t have a personal relationship.

Ward described telling Williams to “shut the fuck up” and discharging the firearm in the wall towards her.

Ward went on to say, “I think I fired at him,” referring to Miles, but that’s when he realized there was an issue with the gun’s slide.

“Which means you no longer have a weapon to carry out this lick… and Dovico does,” Elsey said, asking Ward what he did next.

Ward said he “dove out the way” when Miles fired at him and ended up in the storage room.

Ward said he threw the gun down and was trying to get out of the house he broke into moments prior.

Ward said he was trying to unlock a door in the storage room to escape, but he believes he ended up locking the door and that it was already open before he messed with it.

Ward said eventually Miles came for him, shooting him through the door and putting a gun to his head, asking who sent him before letting him out of the house.

Ward said that Luckie called Watson after he got back in her car. Ward said he didn’t know what happened to Alderious White and that they looked for him but were unsuccessful.

Ward said at this point he felt distrusting of Luckie, which led to his decision to ask her to drop him off at his cousin’s house.

Elsey asked Ward to describe his injury.

“I got shot in my upper chest area,” Ward said. “It went through my lungs, my liver, and exited about a quarter inch from my spine. I had to get chest tube and I got nerve damage.”

Elsey asked Ward about when Russano paid him a visit in the hospital, asking if he was "completely truthful” or “tried to minimize" his role or “some of the details about it.”

“I didn’t minimize anything,” said Ward. “I talked to them freely without looking for a deal. Like I explained, I ain’t doing this for no deal, I’m not here for the State–nobody–I’m here because I have a conscious… I got family, I got nieces, I got sisters, and it wasn’t right. I know it wasn’t right. I was trying to correct the wrong that I did and take responsibility for my part of it.”

Ward said he told police about “Godzilla” orchestrating the home invasion in his initial encounter with them.

During cross-examination, Ruppert went over Ward’s relationship with Luckie, indicating closeness in their relationship, as she called him “Fam,” which is short for “family.”

Ruppert asked Ward, "You've been to Dovico's house before, is that correct?" Ward said that was correct, indicating he went with a friend named "Chris." Ward indicated he was going to buy cocaine and did not enter the house himself.

Ruppert asked Ward about familial connections he may have to the Miles family. Ward said Miles' cousin was a childhood friend of his brother. Ruppert asked if he knew Armstrong's mother, and Ward said he knew of her and that she knew his sisters.

Ruppert confirmed with Ward that he had three phones and a tablet, and that he was able to send messages on the tablet through Facebook messages. Ruppert asked if the two phones were for communication and if the other one was for gambling, and Ward said that was correct.

Ruppert accused Ward of telling the police it was only him and Luckie in the car at the Circle K, which he denied.

As the cross-examination continued, Ward said that when he and Luckie were on the initial robbery attempt the night before the murder, Watson had told them he'd get Armstrong's mother away from the house. "He was still insisting he was gonna get her to come to meet him," Ward said Watson told Luckie over the phone when they got second thoughts after seeing Armstrong's mother outside.

Ruppert asked Ward if it was “correct” that he and Luckie went to his sister’s house after the initial robbery attempt. Ward said they had gone back to Luckie’s house, then they went to his sister's house with Watson.

Ward indicated he was having second thoughts, describing himself as feeling "nervous." But he was too far into the planning of the robbery to be able to easily walk away, he described.

Ward described himself, Luckie and Watson all going in the same vehicle to pick up Alderious White. He said Watson was complaining about Luckie’s driving, prompting her and Ward to switch seats at a red light.

Ruppert referenced Ward and Alderious White going to buy cigars together at 3 a.m. the night before the home invasion, accusing them of making plans independently, which Ward denied. "We're going to get cigars," Ward said.

Ruppert accused Ward of communicating with Williams prior to the home invasion, which he denied.

Ruppert asked Ward if he sent Williams a message to “stay straight.” Ward said that after finding out Williams insinuated Miles wrestled a gun away from him, he sent her a message to tell the truth and don't lie. Ward said he sent a message through a third party.

“You know a lot of third parties who can get in touch with Candice Williams, don’t you?” Ruppert said.

“Not necessarily,” replied Ward, before indicating a relative of Williams had come through the jail and he gave him the message. Ward said he only knows two parties who can get in contact with Williams.

Ruppert referred to Ward’s truthful testimony agreement as him having to “stay on script” or risk life in prison.

Ruppert said to Ward, "Isn't it true Mr. Watson was never with you at that gas station?" Ward said Watson was in the front passenger seat. Ruppert accused Ward of orchestrating the burglary with Luckie outside of Watson’s knowledge.

Ward responded that Watson “orchestrated this whole ordeal.”

“If you said anything different, you’d get life in prison, wouldn’t you?” Ruppert stated.

Ward said his story has been the same from the beginning.

“It was all part of the plan, wasn’t it?” Ruppert stated. “Dump it all on Mr. Watson at the end… Y'all planned this to have a fall person... You needed somebody to dump it on so you could get your plea deal.” Ward denied the accusations, saying he was truthful prior to the plea and is speaking from his conscience, not for a plea deal.

Ward appeared emotional during his testimony.

Elsey gave a brief redirect where he went over Ward’s personal motivations for the robbery and the message he sent to Williams.

On the defense’s re-cross, Ruppert came at Ward again, stating, “From the jump, you already had your fall guy.”

“No sir,” responded Ward.

“It all worked out, didn’t it?” Ruppert said to Ward, who is scheduled to be released from prison in 2052, asking him if he went with “Plan B.”

“The truth is the plan," said Ward.

Witness 19 | Carla Lee

Carla Lee gave her cousin Ward a ride to the hospital after he showed up at her residence with a gunshot wound.

Lee said she didn’t ask Ward any questions about how he was shot, and that Ward asked her to contact his mother to tell him his condition.

Lee said she helped Ward into the emergency room but didn’t stick around.

Lee said that day she switched cars with a family member because she didn’t want to be tied to whatever Ward was involved with.

Bryan asked Lee if she informed the police when Ward was shot, and she confirmed she didn’t but agreed to an interview after officers made contact with her. She agreed to let them search the vehicle.

After Lee testified, Elsey prompted a sidebar with Ruppert and Groeb before moving on to the next witness.

Witness 20 | Alderious White

Deputies brought Alderious White into the courtroom in an ACSO Jail uniform with chains around his ankles.

Elsey confirmed with Alderious White that as part of his plea, he agreed to testify truthfully and was allowed to plead down from first-degree felony murder to second-degree murder. Alderious White confirmed he was sentenced to 30 years in prison with a 25-year minimum mandatory for discharging a firearm during the incident resulting in the death of another.

Elsey confirmed with Alderous White that he has 26 total felony convictions.

Alderious White recalled his uncle Ward contacting him to get his help with the burglary, comparing him to an older brother.

Alderious White commented that Watson “was basically telling me he worked for Rick Ross,” and that someone owed him money or ran off with his drugs. “He wanted us to go and get 'em,” Alderious White said.

Alderious White said it was supposed to be a large amount of money, along with bricks of cocaine and molly.

Elsey asked Alderious White how another woman became involved. “Mr. Watson was asking [if] I know any females that was willing to party or hangout. I told him I knew one,” Alderious White said, referring to Jacobs.

Alderious White said Watson was “interested in getting with with Ms. Jacobs and he offered to give her some drugs and, you know, she really wasn’t interested. She’s not going for it.”

Alderious White said he told Jacobs he was going to “handle some business” and then return to the apartment. He said Watson gave him a handgun.

Elsey asked why Watson wasn’t going in himself. “He said he’d have to kill ‘em,” Alderious White said.

Alderious White remembered concerns about the number of cars in front of the Miles’ home, and Luckie was contacting Watson about it. He said Watson was saying, “Don’t worry about the vehicles. Don’t worry about the cars in the yard.”

Alderious White described how the next time they drove by, Ward got out of the car and knocked on the door before returning to the car. Alderious White said they drove away, and Watson was telling Luckie that Miles would be sleeping. Soon after, they drove up again, and Ward and Alderious White broke in.

Alderious White recalled he and Ward going in separate directions. Entering a hallway, gun in hand, Alderious White said the bathroom door swung open and he saw Armstrong, got spooked, and his gun fired.

Elsey asked if Armstrong made any statements, and Alderious White recalled her saying, “Why are you shooting me?”

Alderious White said Armstrong then ran across the hall into the bedroom and jumped on the bed. Alderious White said she had a phone in her hand and was maybe trying to grab a blanket.

Alderious White admitted to going after Armstrong in the bedroom, saying she then ran out before he continued after her. Alderious White said Armstrong ran right towards the living room. Alderious White said she was too far to reach out and touch. As Miles came into his line of sight, Alderious White said he tried to “shift, go back the back the opposite way,” and his gun discharged in front of Amrstrong.

Alderious White appeared to hesitate but admitted, “From the evidence of the case, it looks like it was my bullet that pierced Ms. Armstrong.”

Alderious White recalled fleeing the scene and getting shot from behind. He said he “begged” Miles to not shoot him. He said Miles was previously introduced to him as his cousin, as he was close with his dad. Alderious White said he never hung out with Miles.

Elsey asked Alderious White if Miles asked him anything. Alderious White said he didn’t before telling him he didn’t know it was his spot. “He said ‘fuck you’ and shot me anyway,” recounted Alderious White.

After a few moments, Alderious White said he ran to a yard and knocked on someone’s door asking for help because he was shot. Soon after, police located him collapsed in the yard.

Alderious White said he was shot in the butt and stomach and required open-heart surgery. “The bullet pierced my heart and stopped,” he said. “I had half my stomach removed, half my intestines removed, and I lost my left kidney."

“We’ve seen some photos of you in the hospital; it looked like you were split open basically,” remarked Elsey. “Kind of your whole center line. That right?”

“Yes sir,” Alderious White replied.

Regarding why he didn’t initially admit to killing Armstrong, Alderious White said, “I didn’t wanna involve myself. I didn’t wanna face the truth.” He admitted that he always remembered.

During cross-examination, Ruppert told Alderious White he lied to the grand jury under oath during his indictment by not admitting to killing Armstrong. Alderious White said he never lied about Watson’s involvement.

Elsey asked for a sidebar with Groeb and Ruppert. During which, Elsey said there is no evidence Alderious White lied to the grand jury, citing his deposition where he said he was not asked about what occurred in the house during his previous testimony.

Ruppert said he was under the impression Alderious White didn’t “tell the whole truth” and said, “If we don’t tell the whole truth, that’s lying.”

“If he’s not asked a question,” remarked Bryan.

“Well, I wouldn’t know; I wasn’t at the grand jury,” said Ruppert.

Groeb commented on how grand jury court proceedings are generally private. With Ruppert not having a way to know if what he was saying is true, Groeb sustained Elsey’s objection.

As the cross-examination progressed, Ruppert questioned Watson’s involvement, saying his “family” was in the house.

“He sure wasn’t acting like it,” said Alderious White.

“According to you, with 26 convictions,” replied Ruppert.

Ruppert went on to say, “Isn’t it true that Mr. Watson had absolutely no planning in this home invasion?”

“That’s not true at all,” replied Alderious White.

Witness 21 | Sarah Jacobs

Elsey asked Jacobs if she’s been convicted of any felonies and if the number six sounded accurate, and she responded with the affirmative.

Elsey asked Jacobs how she knew Alderious White, and she said their residential complexes neighbored each other, causing them to meet.

Jacobs recalled having contact with Alderious White on the night before the murder, saying he and Ward came to pick her up. She said she had “one thing” on her mind, indicating her relationship with Alderious White primarily revolved around sex.

Jacobs said Luckie “did not seem pleased” to see her.

Jacobs said she and Alderious White got intimate in a room upstairs that she described as “really dirty.” Elsey asked Jacobs if she encountered anyone else upstairs, and Jacobs said, “That man right there,” indicating Watson.

Jacobs said, “I don’t know what he was thinking. He was like, ‘Oh, you gonna let me eat your–’ Swear to God on God. I turned him down because he was up there and he was acting like he had all this money… the man with the plan, and he was up there smoking some cheap cigars… You smoking cheap cigars, you can’t have all the money you claim that you have… There’s no way, unless you’re just a cheap person.”

“Let the record reflect the witness has identified the defendant,” said Elsey.

Elsey said, “The defendant tried to–”

“Come on to me,” Jacobs said, finishing his sentence. She recalled Alderious White stating, “I didn’t know it was that kinda party,” and she replied, “It ain’t that kinda party, I didn’t come here to sleep with two people, especially with a stranger I don’t even know.”

Jacobs confirmed she saw the defendants smoking molly and said it wasn’t Alderious White’s drug of choice but that he had a drug problem with cocaine.

Jacobs recalled Watson telling his co-defendants to “get the tools” before Ward, Luckie and Alderious White left. She said Alderious White told her he was going to the store, and she gave him a few dollars.

Jacobs mentioned Watson “talking about how he’s getting all this money." She recalled Watson getting a phone call but didn’t remember what was said and couldn’t tell who contacted him. She said Luckie later returned alone and was “frantic.” Jacobs said she then walked home, a distance of roughly seven miles, because Alderious White was her ride.

During cross-examination, Ruppert asked Jacobs why she and Alderious White didn’t spend time together at her place. She indicated she asked him to, but he wanted to go to Luckie’s apartment.

Ruppert asked Jacobs about what Watson told her after she had intercourse with Alderious White. “There wasn’t even enough time for me to wipe myself off before he was coming in there,” Jacobs said.

“That’s kinda hard to believe,” said Ruppert.

Jacobs said she doesn’t “have to lie about something like that.”

Witness 22 | Tallahassee Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas Coyne

Dr. Thomas Coyne, who was the chief medical examiner in Gainesville at the time of the murder, gave a testimony where he disclosed details of the autopsy he conducted on Armstrong’s body. Prosecutors showed medical photographs from the autopsy.

Witness 23 | GPD Sgt. Charles Dale

Charles Dale, GPD forensic unit supervisor, was responsible for collecting buccal swabs from Watson and Alderious White. Bryan submitted the buccal swabs into evidence.

Witness 24 | GPD Det. Ronnie Pirtle

Ronnie Pirtle said he is responsible for digital forensic examination and that he collected data from surveillance footage and phones.

Pirtle said he examined seven devices in relation to the murder.

Day 5:

Witness 25 | GPD Latent Print Examiner Deana O’Campo

Deana O’Campo went over fingerprints she examined on evidence but didn’t find many suitable for identification. She didn’t identify Watson’s prints on evidence.

Witness 26 | GPD Det. Desiree Russano

Russano, the lead detective on the case, said she heard dispatch of an active shooting on her radio, as in someone reported that they saw someone actively shooting someone else.

Russano said a witness reported seeing a man later identified as Miles shooting Alderious White.

Russano talked about her initial response to the murder and described the scene as chaotic.

Prosecutors went on to show surveillance footage showing White and Ward breaking into the residence from a neighbor's camera across the street.

Russano talked about the first interview she did with Luckie, describing her as not forthcoming and “evident that she was nervous about the situation.”

Russano said there was no way around her car being on video, but Luckie first told them someone took her car and then said she took Ward to drop off his child or pick up his child from the house.

Russano said that Luckie didn’t mention Watson in her first interview, but in her proffer, she said “Godzilla” was in the vehicle with her and Ward at the Circle K.

Prosecutors showed surveillance video from Circle K. The video showed Luckie meeting up with Ward and him getting in the backseat. Watson was not pictured in the video.

Going back to Luckie’s first interview, Elsey asked Russano if she appeared scared. Russano said she “expressed fear of some sort of retaliation.”

Russano said Luckie was more forthcoming about her involvement in the proffer and provided details about “Godzilla’s” involvement, identifying him as the man who orchestrated the home invasion.

Russano obtained forensic downloads from Pirtle, which included a download of Luckie’s phone. Prosecutors submitted a summary report of the download into evidence. Russano read many of the messages aloud.

The download showed that Luckie received a message from a family member around 10:00 a.m. after the murder of a news report relating to the incident. The family member said, “Do not let anyone know what you know. Only answer the questions they ask, and don’t give up any information. Cops will try to trap [and] trick you with your words.”

Prosecutors showed another set of text messages between Luckie and a contact she had saved as “Bae.” Russano described their relationship as “on and off.”

The chat showed the day before the murder, at 3:10 p.m., Luckie sent Bae a message stating, “If I’m capable of paying for everything, a spot, get you new wheels and etc, will you quit your job and come home?”

Luckie went on to text, “Show you how I really make boss moves.”

The data showed Luckie made contact with Watson via phone at a time lining up with when she was transporting Ward in the car with his gunshot wound. She also spoke with him roughly ten minutes before the home invasion.

The data shows Luckie deleted Watson from her phone contacts after receiving the text message of concern from her family member.

The data showed consistent communication between Watson and Luckie going back to July 18, 2023. The data also showed Luckie talked to Guado, A.K.A. Matthews, on July 18, 2023.

Russano recalled meeting with Ward and Alderious White at the hospital. She said Alderious White was willing to speak about his injuries but negated questions on the occurrence of events. She said Alderious White admitted to going in the house with a gun but didn’t give much more information.

Russano said that Ward minimized his involvement but still described him as remorseful and wanting to provide information to law enforcement. Ward told Russano “Godzilla” was in the car at the Circle K.

Elsey confirmed with Russano that her conversation with Ward and Alderious White took place a day after Luckie’s proffer, and that they made the statement about “Godzilla” independently six to seven days after the murder.

Russano spoke about Alderious White’s proffer in October 2022, where he spoke about the events leading up to the home invasion and identified “Godzilla” as the organizer. However, when questions turned toward the events that occurred after he and Ward busted down the door, Alderious White claimed to have amnesia and not remember.

Russano said Alderious White gave another proffer in May 2025, where he gave a clearer memory of the home invasion and admitted to causing Armstrong's death.

Russano went over a forensic download conducted on Alderious White’s phone. The messages showed that prior to the home invasion, he was messaging a woman, saying, “When I get back, we going out of town.”

The download showed that just before 3 a.m. on July 19, 2022, Alderious White sent Watson a message stating, “I got you, let me get her right.” Watson replied, “Little bruh, I just need her for sec.” Russano believed Watson was referring to “sex” or “one sec” with Jacobs. Alderious White replied, “Okay, she tripping, she said no go.”

Later, Watson texted Alderious White, “Bro, just let her smoke with me. Five minutes, I’m done.” Alderious White responds, “Coming now.” Watson texts soon after, “Bring her in here or I come in there.”

Russano went over texts recovered from Ward’s phone, who she mentioned used a texting app because he didn’t have a cell phone plan. She went over a conversation that occurred the night of July 18, 2022. Someone sent Ward a message telling him to be safe, and he responded, “Okay, verbatim my life depends on it.” The person he was texting replied, “Please don’t say that. Are you in a safe location?” Ward responds, “Yes, just relax and pray.” The person responds in all caps, “Promise that you will call me as soon as possible.” Ward’s response: “Promise.”

Russano went over another message Ward sent, stating, “Now I need one last favor. I need $7 in Cashapp so I can send to this girl so she can catch the bus in the morning… Tomorrow we set. It's late so we at the safehouse for tonight. First thing in the morning, showtime.”

Elsey and Russano discussed her interview with Miles, and she confirmed she was present for a proffer statement he gave after he was placed under federal prosecution.

Elsey asked if Miles “let his guard down regarding his own criminal culpability,” and Russano said that was correct. Russano said Miles identified Watson as his sister’s boyfriend and the person he’d sell drugs with.

Russano said Watson didn’t have a phone when he turned himself in and that they never recovered the physical device, but they did subpoena data from T-Mobile, his cell phone service provider. The data from Watson’s phone records was consistent with data on Alderious White’s and Luckie’s phones, showing their communication.

Ruppert began cross-examining Russano, asking if she requested any cell phone mapping or location data, and she said she doesn’t believe they did.

Ruppert asked Russano about the phones recovered from Ward, and she said they had two and one was inoperable. Ruppert asked if Ward used “another device” before the home invasion. Russano said the inoperable phone “didn’t appear from the download and our review to be the phone that he used daily and actively for communication.”

Ruppert asked Russano if Ward ever explained anything about going over to his sister’s house. Russano said she didn’t remember if it was his sister’s house, but that he mentioned going somewhere after the Circle K.

Ruppert asked if she ever tried to get Watson’s location data. Russano said that T-Mobile advised the geolocation data wouldn’t have been available at the time they requested the search warrant. She confirmed they requested the search warrant in October 2022.

As the cross-examination continued, Ruppert asked Russano if she ever verified with Ward’s sister that they went to her place. She said she didn’t think it was relevant and that she “generally didn’t know” if he was referring to his sister, but that he does mention going to another location.

Ruppert replied, “You did put in your report [that] Ward was never able to explain how or why he ended up at his sister’s house… Is that correct?”

Russano responded that Ward spoke about it in his first interview, but it was never brought up again and is not relevant.

Ruppert said, “It could be relevant if you went and talked to the sister and [she’d] be able to tell you who he was with, what they were doing, certainly that’d be relevant, would it not?”

“I didn’t think so,” Russano replied.

Ruppert began getting more personal, stating, “If you went and actually investigated this case and you went to Mr. Ward’s sister’s house and you interviewed her and she told you that Ward was only with Tiara, would that be important?”

Russano told Ruppert he was asking her to guess and couldn’t know what she would say.

Ruppert went on to say, “Do you have any evidence other than Tiara and Mr. Ward that Mr. Watson was in the car at that Circle K gas station.”

Russano responded that they didn't, aside from Ward and Luckie’s statements.

Ruppert asked Russano if the firearms were submitted for ownership data, and she confirmed they were, but Watson didn’t purchase the firearms from a store.

Ruppert asked about Miles’ firearm, asking if there was any documentation to determine if he got the gun legally.

“It’s very clear that he didn’t get that legally,” responded Russano.

“How so?” Ruppert questioned.

“He’s a convicted felon,” Russano replied. “He wasn’t supposed to be in possession of a firearm.”

Ruppert asked if there was documentation, and Russano said she wouldn’t expect there to be documentation when someone illegally obtains a firearm.

Ruppert questioned Russano for not obtaining a download for Williams' phone. Russano confirmed that Mullins was the detective speaking with Williams and that she just went in the interview room for a short period of time. She said that when Mullins followed up with Williams, she advised that she didn’t want to communicate. Ruppert questioned Russano for not making attempts to follow up with Williams.

Ruppert questioned Russano regarding Luckie’s attorney telling her story before she spoke in her proffer. Russano said Johnson gave a summary, and she doesn’t know if she’d say he said exactly what happened. She said Luckie was uncomfortable and scared, so Johnson speaking first didn’t surprise her.

Ruppert asked Russano if she “ever tracked down” the person named as “Bae” on Luckie’s phone. Russano said she didn’t make contact.

Ruppert said the summary report from Luckie’s phone “didn’t include the texts about her gambling problem" or being "behind on car payment and her work issue.”

Russano said she noticed Luckie got notifications from a slot machine app, but that a gambling problem never came up.

Ruppert questioned Russano’s comment about Luckie fearing retaliation, and Russano said she doesn’t remember for sure if she used the word "retaliation,” but that it was clear she was in fear of some sort of retaliation.

On the redirect, Elsey asked Russano if she had any reason to seize Williams’ phone, and Russano said she had no probable cause to do so.

Elsey asked Russano how frequent it is for a gun to “trace back to the bad guy who committed the crime.” Russano said she has never had a gun trace back to the person who committed a violent crime buying it at a retail location.

Elsey asked Russano if Johnson was present for any events of the home invasion to convey that he was relaying information he received from his client at the proffer, as Johnson obviously wasn’t a part of the crime.

Russano said Luckie, Ward and Alderious White expressed fantasies of what they would do upon retrieving a tremendous amount of money.

On the re-cross, Ruppert started by saying he wasn’t trying to imply that Johnson had anything to do with the home invasion, but show that Luckie may have had a hard time remembering facts. Ruppert said Johnson gave a “rather lengthy summary of what happened first” and asked Russano if that was a fair characterization.

Russano said her interpretation was that Luckie is a “slower-paced person” and that it “would’ve taken her awhile to get that out to me anyway.”

Russano said Luckie’s fear showed more in how she presented than in what she said.

Ruppert questioned Russano about the gun tracing again, and she said they were traced, but legal ownership wasn’t relevant to the investigation. “I know who had that gun when it was used,” she said. Russano said she’s not going to remember the name of the original owner of a gun used in a homicide if the owner has no relevance to the crime.

As the re-cross continued, Ruppert said, “The original purchaser can lead you potentially to who had it right before the incident.”

“Potentially,” said Russano.

“If you investigated,” said Ruppert.

“I did investigate, sir,” replied Russano. “I know who gave it to Mr. White, and I know who gave a gun to Mr. Ward.”

“Based on a convicted felon’s testimony," said Ruppert.

“Based on DNA as well,” said Russano.

Ruppert said they’d let the DNA analyst answer questions on DNA and asked if she was a DNA analyst.

Russano said she wasn’t, but that Ruppert was asking her to answer questions on firearms tracing when she is not a member of the bureau responsible for firearms tracing.

Ruppert began responding, and Elsey objected to him for being argumentative, which Groeb sustained.

Witness 27 | Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Firearms Lab Manager Maysaa Farhat

Maysaa Farhat currently works at the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office but previously held the position of senior firearms lab analyst in the FDLE. She worked there at the time of the murder.

Farhat said she received 22 items relating to the case for analysis, which included fired projectiles, cartridge casings, firearms and their corresponding magazines. Farhat recounted test firing the guns and said they were working.

Witness 28 | Senior Crimes Lab Analyst Laura Draga

Laura Draga is employed in the firearms section at the FDLE as a senior crime lab analyst.

Draga said she was assigned to review the involved firearms after they were submitted for review a second time. Draga went over the fired projectiles in correspondence with the guns they were fired from.

Witness 29 | FDLE Senior Crime Lab Biologist Larry Denton

Bryan asked Larry Denton if there was a difference between a crime lab analyst and a senior crime lab analyst.

“Just in title,” Denton said.

Denton went over DNA testing he did in involvement with the case and said the gun determined to be used by Ward was consistent with having the DNA of Watson. Denton said the sample was "approximately 230 million times more likely to occur if the sample originated from Patrick Watson and three other individuals,” as the sample was determined to have four individuals’ DNA present.

During cross-examination, Denton confirmed four individuals’ DNA was present, and Ruppert asked who they all are. Denton said three are unknown, and Watson is consistent with being a possible contributor. Denton said two unknowns were male, and the other was possibly female.

Ruppert asked Denton multiple questions relating to touch-transfer of DNA, which he answered but clarified he's not an expert in that specific area of DNA study.

After 29 witnesses from prosecutors, and zero witnesses from Ruppert, both sides rested their cases. Watson confirmed he wouldn’t testify.

Ruppert said he wanted all his objections and motions saved and made a motion for acquittal, arguing prosecutors didn’t demonstrate enough proof. Groeb said he would preserve the motions and objections for appellate purposes but denied Ruppert’s acquittal motion.

Day 6:

Closing Arguments

During closing arguments, Elsey summarized the evidence presented during the trial and went through the legal elements of Watson’s charges and how he perpetrated them. Elsey said Watson was “committed to this idea… to get the dope and the money out of this house.”

Elsey told the jury to think of the information Watson’s co-defendants would’ve had to receive from him and emphasized that Luckie and Ward didn’t go into the house during their prior trips to the residence. Elsey referenced Watson telling his co-defendants the door would be unlocked, which cars would mean who’s home, Miles’ work schedule and sleeping disorder, and the specific location of the drugs: the dresser in the storage room.

Elsey talked about how different witnesses may have different perceptions, emphasizing the chaos on the night of the murder in explaining slight variations in witnesses’ testimony.

Ruppert said it was his “honor and privilege” to represent Watson and said there is a "substantial amount of lack of evidences in this case.” He argued that Luckie, Alderious White and Ward were the “three pillars of the State’s case,” and that they can’t be relied on.

Ruppert called Luckie “a shattered person” when she was testifying and said, “I want you to think about how she must’ve been back on the day in question… when she spoke to police initially. She was a self admitted drug user, she’s smoking molly every day for a long period of time. Whether or not she’s actually in a position to remember and convey those thoughts to the police and ultimately to the jury is in substantial question.”

Ruppert emphasized Ward, Jacobs and Alderious White’s felony convictions to call their credibility into question.

Ruppert argued the surveillance footage from the Circle K doesn’t look like a coincidence and called it a “meetup of these individuals to decide what to do… Tiara Luckie knew Patrick Watson was affiliated… was living in and out of the home of a very well-known drug dealer in town… Dovico Miles was a very well-known person. Tiara Luckie, in that community of using drugs, knew that. They were gathering information from my client to do this on their own. There is no evidence that my client was the person that gave them the information.”

Ruppert argued the evidence shows Watson “never did give that information and never would've wanted that kind of home invasion to occur in the first place.”

Ruppert called Russano’s investigation into question, saying she had an “unhealthy interest" in the outcome of the case.

Ruppert argued that police created a lack of evidence by not investigating if Luckie’s vehicle went to Ward’s sister’s house after the Circle K. Ruppert cited that by the time law enforcement pulled Watson’s phone records, some information wasn’t available and said evidence that would’ve shown Watson not in the vehicle at the Circle K was lost.

Ruppert called back to Miles asking “Who sent you? Ruppert argued Miles knew someone sent them, and stated that Miles told Russano it couldn’t have been Watson when interviewing. Rupert said Miles “never thought it was Patrick,” and argued he would’ve “made [the] connection” if there was a “huge dispute.”

Ruppert said, “All these people are related or know each other… [Williams] is related to Jason Ward. Is it just coincidental that she was over there the night before… I would suggest to the jury that this is more than just mere coincidence. Dovico doesn’t know how often she was on the phone… Does this have to do with ‘who sent you?’”

Ruppert heavily criticized the testimonies of Miles and Armstrong's mother, emphasizing their differing statements regarding Watson having a key. Ruppert argued that if Watson had a key, he wouldn’t need any help to get the drugs and could’ve gotten them himself.

Ruppert argued that Ward couldn’t have had inside information if he was asking, “Where’s it at?” Ruppert argued the information he got about the dresser drawer was from “Chris,” the person Ward mentioned going on a drug deal with to the Miles’ home.

All of Watson’s co-defendants signed an agreement to deliver a truthful testimony as a part of their plea deals. Ruppert referred to their testimonies as a “script.”

In an attempt to dispute the DNA evidence, Ruppert said, “That [gun] was also found on the bed in the house… If there’s DNA on that bed or those sheets or anything… could that be responsible for secondary transfer?” Ruppert called Denton’s testimony into question, arguing he had an “agenda.”

On the redirect, Elsey said that Ruppert’s argument relies on saying “but maybe if-” and “if this-”

Elsey said, “Williams is still in the GPD interview room the morning after she just had a gun pointed in her face… The actual evidence is she gets a text message from somebody that she knows who says… ‘I understand you’re at the police station… We just found Jason Ward is in the hospital, and he’s got a gunshot wound. Maybe he’s involved…’ What does Ms. Williams do? The person they want to paint has somehow masterminded this whole thing. She goes, ‘Hey detective… I just got this message about Jason Ward… Maybe he’s involved…’ If she was involved and wanted to protect her co-conspirators, why would she ever turn over that information? It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever… He pointed the gun at Candice Williams and was trying to actively shoot her.”

Elsey went on to say, “We didn’t get Candice’s phone, but we sure got Luckie’s phone, we sure got Ward’s phone, and we sure got White’s phone. They’re not communicating with Candice Williams.”

Elsey told the jury that innocence is based on reasonable doubt, not forced doubt. “You could force yourself to believe that the defendant’s DNA is on that Cal-Tec because of a mattress in a room he didn’t use in a house that he no longer lives in,” he said, “or you could draw a reasonable conclusion from all the evidence that's been presented.”

Elsey referred back to the analogy he used involving a blue pen: if holding a blue pen was a crime, they'd only need to prove that someone is in possession of the pen and that the pen is blue. Elsey said witness statements about Watson having or not having a key, or whether or not he was in the car at the Circle K, are “blue pen issues,” stating it doesn’t undo evidence that reasonably proves Watson guilty. Elsey said they aren't solely relying on the testimonies of Watson’s co-defendants and that they showed further evidence.

“There is an old saying: plays cast in hell don’t have angels as actors,” Elsey said. “Plans hatched in hell don’t have angels as witnesses. We didn’t choose the target of this robbery… We did not choose who Mr. Watson decided to send into that home with guns.”

Elsey concluded by telling the jurors to not forget there is a dead victim in this case. Elsey said their verdict would not make the Miles family whole again or give Armstrong a life to live as an adult, but it would assign ultimate responsibility for her death to the person who called the shots, Watson.

Verdict and Sentence

The jury found Watson guilty of felony murder, armed burglary and solicitation of an armed burglary. Groeb then told the jury that Watson is a convicted felon, and they quickly found him guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

Under sentencing guidelines, Watson had no way of avoiding a life sentence.

Prior to Watson’s sentencing, the court heard from Armstrong’s family. Her sister told Watson she hopes he dies in prison, while Armstrong’s mother told the court she wants life and said, “I’m forever changed because I lost a part of me that I can’t ever get back.”

Watson then gave a statement, ending the trial the same way he began, by denying the charges and proclaiming his innocence. Only now, Watson's tone held desperation, while at the beginning of the trial he spoke with a more composed demeanor. “I would never do that… I love all y’all,” he claimed.

Groeb sentenced Watson to two life sentences plus 30 years. Groeb ordered Watson to never make contact with Ward, Alderious White or Luckie, in addition to Armstrong's mother and one of her relatives.

Appeal

On January 12, 2026, Ruppert submitted a notice of appeal on Watson’s behalf.

Supplemental Information:

Alderious White’s Criminal History

Court records show the majority of Alderious White’s felony convictions come from nonviolent offenses, with a few convictions of cocaine possession and several fraud convictions.

Alderious White was convicted of misdemeanor domestic battery in 2013, with the police report stating he broke into the victim’s house through a window and struck her in the face, chasing her and trying to take away her phone when she went to call police. Alderious White threw the victim to the ground, causing her to sprain her hand. He then struck the victim in the back of the head, only backing off and leaving the scene when he realized police were coming.

Jason Ward’s Criminal History

Court records show the majority of Ward’s felony convictions come from robbery charges.

Ward has five robbery convictions dating back to 2001.

In 2005, Ward was convicted of two grand theft counts.

In 2008, Ward was convicted of two counts of robbery without a firearm.

Ward received another conviction in 2015 for robbery by sudden snatching without a firearm or weapon. The police report states he stole a woman’s purse at a Dollar General.

In 2019, Ward was charged with two domestic violence cases involving the same victim, but both were dropped, with court documents stating the victim didn’t wish to proceed. The police reports state Ward beat the victim, with one stating he threatened to kill her while aiming a gun at her.

Tiara Luckie’s Criminal History

According to the FDC website, Luckie was previously sentenced to a term of 18 months probation in Flagler County after receiving an adjudication for MDMA possession.

Patrick Watson’s Criminal History

Until his most recent charges, Watson hadn’t committed any criminal offenses in Alachua County, court records show. However, Watson has a dozen of felony adjudications outside Alachua County, his first appearance pretrial investigative summary shows.

**Watson's Pretrial Investigative Summary** (Alachua County Court Records)

In Marion County, Watson was convicted of three counts of aggravated assault, one count of armed robbery and a count of probation violation in 1990. In 1991, he received five more convictions of aggravated assault. In 1994, he was convicted of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. In 1995, he was convicted of burglary and petty theft.

Watson was previously arrested for lying to police while having an active warrant for domestic battery by strangulation, with a 2020 arrest report by Marion County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Doug Gravley stating the following:

“I responded to the area of NW 40th Street in reference to an anonymous tip about a subject with a warrant leaving the area. I observed a white SUV with out-of-state tags matching the description provided by the reporter pulling out… Contact was made with black male later identified as defendant Patrick Watson who when asked his name he stated it was Rick Waterson. The defendant then provided a date of birth of [March 17, 1974]. A computer check of the defendant's driver's license number showed his name was Patrick Watson with a date of birth of [March 19, 1973], and not the original name and date of birth he provided. The subject later confirmed he lied and stated his name was Patrick Watson.

After advising the defendant that he was being detained, and attempting to place the defendant in handcuffs, he actively pulled his arms away and then crossed them across his chest and stated that we are not putting him in handcuffs. After a few verbal commands to give us his hands and a brief struggle, the defendant was placed into custody. It was confirmed that the defendant held an active Marion County warrant (19CF94) for domestic battery by strangulation. The defendant was transported to the Marion County Jail"

Watson’s domestic battery by strangulation charge was dropped, but he was convicted of resisting an officer without violence and giving a false identity to a police officer.

**Watson's more recent Marion County cases** (Marion County Court Records)

Also in 2020, Watson was arrested in Marion County on a North Dakota warrant for violating probation on a reckless endangerment conviction, court records show.

Jack Walden

Jack is an independent journalist and the creator of GnvInfo. From general information, to exposing falsehoods and corruption, Jack seeks to deliver the truth.

Gainesville, FL

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