An Ocala jail guard was killed. His ex-girlfriend, a former jail worker, was arrested
A Marion County Sheriff's Office detention deputy was killed over the weekend, and on Wednesday his ex-girlfriend – herself a former employee at the jail – was arrested and is expected to be charged with second-degree murder.
A press release from the Citrus County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of Jacqueline Jasmin Johnson-Cabrera of Ocala in connection with the death of Cory Schweitzer.
When she worked at the Ocala jail, Johnson-Cabrera got in trouble when an inmate she was supposed to be watching escaped from a local hospital. She resigned before she could be terminated.
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Schweitzer died on Aug. 19
According to Citrus authorities, at 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 19, their communication center was notified of what appeared to be a suicide at a residence in Pine Ridge, a community in central Citrus.
A dispatcher was told that Schweitzer was shot and was not breathing. When first responders arrived, they pronounced Schweitzer dead. He was 31 and lived in Citrus County, although he worked at the jail in Ocala.
Citrus detectives were called to the residence and began investigating. The detectives, reviewing the scene, believed the death was suspicious.
Continuing their investigation, the detectives found other evidence, which was collected and carefully examined, Citrus officials said. From their investigation, the detectives concluded that Schweitzer had been killed.
The detectives eventually secured a warrant for Johnson-Cabrera's arrest. The 22-year-old woman, who lives in Ocala, was picked up on Wednesday and booked into the Citrus County Detention Facility in Lecanto, where she's expected to be charged with second-degree murder.
Details on what led to Johnson-Cabrera's arrest have not been released by Citrus officials. They said the woman's arrest report has been sealed by a judge.
Citrus officials said Johnson-Cabrera was Schweitzer's former girlfriend.
Sheriffs Billy Woods and Mike Prendergast comment on the case
"He left his mark on the hearts of everyone he worked with, and I ask that all of you continue to keep Cory’s family, friends, and his brothers and sisters he worked alongside of in your hearts and prayers," Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods wrote on his agency's Facebook page.
He said the colleague's death was perpetrated by a "cold-hearted individual."
Woods thanked Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast and "the hard-working men and women of his office." He said they "investigated Cory’s death and quickly put his murderer behind bars."
He added: "You brought us some peace, knowing that his killer is not walking the streets of our counties."
Prendergast said in the news release issued by his agency that "our thoughts and prayers are with Deputy Schweitzer’s family, along with Sheriff Woods and the men and women of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, who knew and worked alongside Cory."
The sheriff said: "Investigating homicide cases are difficult enough, let alone when the victim is a fellow law enforcement officer. This case presented many unique factors and, with the arrest of Johnson-Cabrera, I hope and pray the family and colleagues can now begin the healing process.”
Johnson-Cabrera's history
MCSO officials said Schweitzer joined the agency in March 2019 and was a member of the Detention Response Team, or DRT, in 2020. Schweitzer was Employee of the Month in June 2021.
Johnson-Cabrera was a detention deputy in January 2021 when Jessica Potter escaped. Potter was at HCA Florida Ocala Hospital at the time of her escape.
Potter was taken into custody by Ocala Police Department officials for drug possession. She had passed out and had to be revived with Narcan spray.
While at the hospital, Potter made her way through an open door and eventually outside. She was caught by a jail supervisor not far away, in a backyard. Sheriff's officials said Johnson-Cabrera admitted she never thought about looking for Potter.
Court records show Potter pleaded no contest to multiple charges, including escape, last year.
An internal affairs report states Johnson-Cabrera was at fault. She left the agency in lieu of termination, sheriff's officials said. She had been hired as a detention assistant in September 2019.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Florida woman accused of killing ex-boyfriend, who worked at Ocala jail
