Man found guilty in shooting death of Daytona Beach police officer sentenced to 30 years in prison
The Florida State Attorney’s Office announced on Friday that Othal Wallace was sentenced to a maximum 30 years in prison for the shooting death of Daytona Beach Police Officer Jason Raynor. Wallace was found guilty of manslaughter back in September by a Clay County jury.
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Officer Raynor was patrolling an apartment complex off Kingston Avenue in Daytona Beach on the evening of Jun. 23, 2021 when he came across Wallace sitting in a Honda SUV. The officer initiated a traffic stop but the suspect refused to listen to commands. The officer’s body camera captured 42 seconds of the interaction. At some point, a gunshot could be heard.
Officer Raynor was found by fellow officers suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. A manhunt began to find Wallace.
On Jun. 26, 2021, Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young announced during a press conference that Wallace was captured in a tree house in a wooded area in Dekalb County Georgia. He was found with multiple weapons, ammunition, and body armor when he was taken into custody.
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Almost two months after the shooting, on Aug. 17, 2021, Officer Raynor died due to complications from the gunshot wound.
“Officer Jason Raynor was doing his job -- protecting our community -- and he lost his life as a result.” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said about the defendant. “The defendant shot and killed Officer Raynor because he harbored a deep-seated hate for law enforcement -- not because he was fearful for his life. There is no sentence that would adequately punish the defendant for his brutal murder but imposing the maximum sentence brings some measure of justice and accountability.”
Wallace was initially charged in Volusia County with first-degree murder after he shot Officer Raynor. His trial was moved to Clay County after his defense successfully argued that Wallace wouldn’t receive a fair trial in Volusia County.
Related Story: Accused cop killer’s trial continues after emotional testimonies bring some to tears
The jury in Clay deliberated for 11 hours on Sept. 15, 2023, but members could not reach a verdict. However, a day later, the verdict finally came in with the jury convicting Wallace of manslaughter, sparing him the death penalty.
The case was investigated by the Daytona Beach Police Department with assistance from multiple other local and state law enforcement agencies.
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