The latest on the Ocklawaha homicides: charges, other cases, legal representation

Here's the latest about the three juveniles who were arrested in connection with the shooting deaths of three teenagers in Ocklawaha:

School status before the arrests

Officials say the 12- and 17-year-old defendants were attending alternative schools. The 16-year-old defendant was not enrolled in school. Because of the defendants' ages, the Star-Banner is not publishing their names.

Charges so far in connection with the homicides

The 12-year-old defendant and the 17-year-old defendant are charged with murder. The 16-year-old has not been charged, although officials said that could change.

The State Attorney's Office has not yet decided whether they will be charged as adults in that case.

Earlier coverage: Two juveniles, ages 12 and 17, arrested in SE Marion triple murder. Third defendant sought

Earlier coverage: Third teen connected to triple murder in SE Marion has been arrested

A separate case involving the 12- and 17-year-old defendants

According to a Marion County Sheriff's Office report, about three hours before the homicides, the 12- and 17-year-old victims stole $240 from another victim.

In that case, the sheriff's office says, the victim agreed to buy a gun on March 30. The victim said he sat in a vehicle occupied by two males he did not know. The victim said a gun was placed in his lap and, before he had a chance to examine the firearm, he took $240 from his pocket.

He said one of the males then took the firearm from his lap and used it to hit him on the left cheek.

The victim said both individuals were armed and they took the cash from him. He said he was able to get out of the vehicle and a shot was fired in his direction, but he was not hit.

During an April 21 hearing, Assistant State Attorney Toby Hunt told County Judge LeAnn Mackey-Barnes that the 17-year-old has been charged as an adult in that robbery. The State Attorney's Office has not made a filing decision for the 12-year-old in that earlier case.

Separate cases involving the 16-year-old defendant

According to the sheriff's office, the 16-year-old is accused of pointing a gun at another juvenile who was in a car in August 2022. The victim was waiting on his mother to get pizza when he was ordered to get out of the vehicle.

The 16-year-old was placed on supervised release/intensive home detention with an electronic monitor while that case was pending. In March he disappeared and the electronic device was found 50 yards from his residence. The case was still pending when the homicides happened.

At the time of the homicides the teen also was on probation for an October 2022 case. The sheriff's office said he stole a vehicle and fled from deputies before he was caught. In that case, he was charged with fleeing/eluding law enforcement officials with lights siren, grand theft of a motor vehicle and other offenses.

Which lawyers will represent the three defendants?

Mike Graves, head of the 5th Judicial Circuit Public Defender's Office, said his office has a conflict for all three defendants based on previous representations.

In such cases, representation typically is picked up by the Office of Regional Counsel. If that office has a conflict, then the court would appoint a lawyer who has registered with the court as willing to handle such cases. Those lawyers typically are paid a flat fee.

Local lawyer Jack Maro told a Star-Banner reporter that he has been approached by a family member of the 17-year-old to represent him. He said he would handle any murder case involving that client, but not the case of the robbery that preceded the homicides.

Background of the homicide cases

Sheriff's Office officials said shortly before 11 p.m. on March 30 they went to the area of Forest Lakes Park on Southeast 183rd Avenue Road in response to someone on the side of the road suffering from a gunshot wound. The injured person, later identified as 16-year-old Layla Silvernail, was taken to a hospital. She died a week later.

On March 31 at approximately 7:55 a.m. deputies went to Southeast 94th Street and Southeast 188th Court, where a 17-year-old boy was found deceased on the side of the road. He also had been shot.

His name was not released by detectives because his family has invoked Marsy's Law, which forbids the official release of victim information.

On April 1, the body of a third teen, also 16, was found in the trunk of a car that belonged to Layla, authorities said. She had been shot. Her family also has invoked Marsy's Law.

The bodies of the victims were discovered within a 15-mile range. Authorities believe all the victims were killed on the same day: March 30.

Here's how the three defendants were arrested

Law enforcement officials said the 17-year-old was picked up on March 31. Reports show Ocala police had probable cause to arrest him on charges of affray and disrupting a school function. That episode happened days before the shootings.

He was still at a juvenile facility, being held on those charges, when he was charged with murder.

The 12-year-old was found at his Ocklawaha residence on April 6. He is being held without bail.

A day later, the 16-year-old boy was captured in Lake County. He is being held on the August 2022 robbery charges while prosecutors decide whether to charge him in connection with the homicides.

What have the defendants told the sheriff's office about the homicides?

According to the sheriff's office, the 17-year-old defendant said he was in Layla's car along with the other two boys. At least two of the victims also were in the vehicle.

He said they drove around Ocala and decided to burglarize vehicles. He said some of them, including the 12-year-old and the 16-year-old, were armed.

According to the sheriff's office, he admitted shooting one of the female victims. He said he did so because he feared she would testify against him and the other two and they all would go to jail for life.

The 12-year-old boy told the sheriff's office they picked up an unknown male wearing a ski mask and black hoodie at an Ocala apartment complex. He said the hooded individual never removed the face covering.

The boy said the unknown male shot one of the victims. He said he was forced to shoot one of the victims because, if he didn't, then his family would be killed.

After the shooting, the boy said, the masked male drove the vehicle near a lake. One victim was thrown in a ditch. The boy said they drove to a pond. That's where the car was found on April 1.

Detectives said the car was found not far from the home of the 17-year-old victim. They said it appears the car was pushed into the body of water, with the front tires partially submerged.

Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: More details about those accused of killing three teens in SE Marion