DELAND, Fla.-- A man accused of fatally shooting a 19-year-old man in Daytona Beach in July was indicted Wednesday for first-degree murder and other charges.
- Volusia County grand jury indicts Kevin Stokes
- Stokes, 18, charged with first-degree murder
- Daemon Carn, 19, fatally shot in gang feud
Kevin Stokes, 18, is accused of gunning down Daemon Carn on July 9 as part of an ongoing feud between gangs over drugs and rap music, according to Daytona Beach police.
Stokes was 17 when Carn was shot.
Stokes, who is being prosecuted as an adult, faces the possibility of life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.
A Volusia County grand jury indicted Stokes on charges of first-degree murder, discharging a firearm from a vehicle and possessing of a firearm by a delinquent.
“Murder is always tragic, but when the crime involves kids killing kids, tragic is an understatement,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said in a statement. “The defendant was indicted for first-degree murder and now life as he knew it is gone. He will be held accountable for – and face the brutal consequences of – his criminal episode.”
At the time of the shooting, Stokes was on juvenile probation for fleeing or attempting to elude police, a report said. He was previously on juvenile probation for burglary of an unoccupied conveyance, grand theft of a firearm and grand theft of a motor vehicle.
On July 9, police were called at 3:48 a.m. to a crash between a Toyota Camry and a white SUV at Weaver Street and Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard. That’s where Carn was found. First responders rushed him to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach, where he died.
Investigators believe the driver of another vehicle – a dark-colored BMW sedan – was chasing the Toyota when it crashed into the white SUV. The occupants of the Toyota got out and tried to flee the scene on foot heading south on Weaver.
The occupant of the BMW – allegedly Stokes - fired a gun multiple times from inside the vehicle towards the people running from the Toyota, including Carn.
That’s when Carn was shot.
“The victim was found to have sustained one gunshot wound to the right side of his back,” according to a police report.
The BMW sped away before officers could arrive.
Twenty-eight shell casings were recovered at the scene by homicide investigators.
An arrest warrant was issued for Stokes for first-degree murder on July 18.
On Sept. 16, investigators discovered Stokes was driving a rented vehicle westbound on International Speedway Boulevard when he pulled into Sunoco gas station at West International Speedway Boulevard and Bill France Boulevard.
He stopped next to one of the pumps.
“When the investigators tried to make contact with him at that point, Stokes attempted to flee, colliding with two of the vehicles used by investigators,” Daytona Beach police said in a statement.
The U.S. Marshals assisted Daytona Beach police with taking Stokes into custody.
