Man accused in fatal shooting outside middle school charged with first-degree murder
The man charged with the brazen daylight shooting death of another man in a school parking lot last month has been indicted by a grand jury, and the State Attorney's Office is still deciding whether to seek the death penalty.
Here's a look at that case and other prominent ones recently addressed at the Marion County Judicial Center.
State v. Roderick Kelvin Watson Jr.
When was Watson indicted? June 25.
Who was the judge? Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon.
How many people were on the grand jury? 21.
How long was the grand jury proceeding? About an hour.
Are the proceedings open to the public? No. Grand juries consider cases and deliberate behind closed doors.
What was the outcome? The grand jury returned an indictment charging Watson with first-degree murder, which is punishable by life in prison or death. Originally, Watson was charged with second-degree murder.
Has a decision being made about the death penalty? No. The state has 45 days after Watson's arraignment hearing to make a decision on whether it intends to seek the death penalty.
Where's Watson now? At the county jail, where he is being held without bail. Watson was in court on June 26 for an appearance hearing. He's represented by the Public Defender's Office.
What happened in this case? In late May, sheriff's detectives say, Watson, 34, shot Joseph James Juarez Coles, 32, multiple times and punched his lifeless body while on the ground in the parking lot of North Marion Middle School. The school was hosting an award ceremony and parents, children and others were inside the building when the shooting occurred.
Watson remained on scene after the shooting and was detained by deputies. Several witnesses, including children, saw the shooting, authorities said. Officials said Coles wanted the children to spend the night with him while their mother, who's in a relationship with Watson, felt the children should be with her.
State v. Rudd Ronel Gelin
Lawyers: Assistant State Attorney Marissa Meyer and defense attorney James W. Smith from Orlando.
Judge: Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon.
Charge: Second-degree murder.
When and why was Gelin in court? For a change of plea hearing on June 27.
What happened? Appearing by Zoom from the jail, the former state corrections officer was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by 10 years of probation, pursuant to a plea arrangement made between the lawyers. He has 262 days of credit for time already served.
What was the plea? No contest.
Any stipulations? Gelin must undergo a mental health evaluation within 30 days of his release from prison. Also, he cannot have any firearms or any contact with the victim's family.
What happened? Gelin, 28, was taken into custody by law enforcement officials in connection with the fatal stabbing of Deangelo Laverne Williams, 27, last year. The two had been arguing over a woman, authorities said.
State v. Brayan Augusto Perez Ramirez
Lawyers: Assistant State Attorney Katrina Self and local defense lawyer Veronica Arenas
Charge: Attempted sexual battery on child younger than 12.
Judge: Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon.
When was Ramirez in court? June 24 for change of plea hearing.
Plea: No contest.
Sentence: Ten years in prison followed 10 years of probation. He has 1,404 days of credit for time already served while awaiting resolution of this case.
Any special conditions? He must register as a sexual predator and can't live within 1,000 feet of any school, daycare or where children gather. He also cannot have access to the internet.
About the case: Arrested in 2020 by sheriff's deputies, a then 18-year-old Ramirez was accused of having sex with an 11-year-old girl. He's now 22.
State v. Daniel Nathan Raatz
Judge: Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon.
Lawyers: Katrina Self, assistant state attorney, and local defense lawyer Stephen Murty.
Charges: Stalking with evidence of prejudice, cruelty toward child without great bodily harm and harassing phone calls/cause to ring repeatedly
When was he in court and why? June 24 for a bail hearing. Raatz, 40, and his 35-year-old wife, Kyndall, have been accused of relentlessly taunting a Black family in their neighborhood. The Raatzes were released on bond. The husband was re-arrested in early June, accused of domestic violence against his wife.
Raatz's wife faces charges of cruelty toward child abuse without great bodily harm, stalking with evidence of prejudice and harassing phone calls/cause to ring repeatedly. In her case, authorities were told she often ridiculed a Black family and threw a plastic bag containing watermelon and cotton at a Black child.
What did the judge do? The judge granted bail for the husband. His bail was set at $30,000 for all charges.
Did he post bail? Yes, on June 24.
Any special conditions? Yes. He must wear a GPS monitor, have no contact with his wife or children younger than 18, and cannot posses any firearm.
State v. Kevin Latrell Coleman
Judge: Circuit Judge Robert Hodges.
Defense lawyer: Gregg Brennan.
Charges: Two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of principal to evidence tampering.
When was Coleman in court? June 27 for change of plea.
Plea: No contest.
Sentence: 40 months in prison, with 237 days of credit for time already served.
What happened? Coleman, 29, was taken into custody by Ocala police in 2023 in connection with the shooting death of Jose Valliant, 28, of Belleview in a Burger King parking lot. Law enforcement officials said Coleman and a woman tampered with evidence. Officials said the victim was shot over a drug deal that went bad.
State v. Alexander Slowes
Judge: Circuit Judge Robert Hodges.
Charge: Travel to meet a minor after use of computer to lure child. Charges of use computer to seduce/solicit/lure child and unlawful use of two-way communications device to facilitate were not pursued by the prosecution due to double jeopardy.
Lawyers: Mark O'Mara and Christopher Smith for the defense and Assistant State Attorney Drew Brandies for the prosecution.
Why was Slowes in court? For an open plea on June 28.
What's an open plea? It's when the prosecution and defense fail to come up with a plea bargain proposal, so the case is presented to a judge for resolution.
About the case: Slowes was among those arrested in 2022 in a sting operation targeting people who went online to solicit minors for sex.
Arguments by the lawyers: The defense had psychiatrists testify that the now 26-year-old man has autism, was not sociable, was withdrawn, is not a sexual deviant, and works and lives with his parents.
Slowes told the judge he was sorry and that he made a mistake. He asked for mercy.
O'Mara told the judge Slowes had no previous arrests and at the time of arrest didn't appreciate what had happened.
The defense wanted probation. But Brandies said text messages prove Slowes knew right from wrong. He drove from Tampa to Ocala. The state sought a 21-month prison term.
Judge's decision: Six months of house arrest followed by two years of probation. Slowes has two days of credit for jail time served.
Any stipulations? Yes. Slowes cannot access any dating websites and must see a therapist.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala Florida grand jury indicts man accused in school parking lot shooting
