Dereck Todd Thompson Jr., a 35-year-old resident of Pensacola, Florida, tragically lost his life on May 2, 2021, at a rest stop in Ponce-de-Leon, Florida. The incident occurred during a child custody exchange between Mariah Maps, the mother of the children, and Latorish Antonio Gardner, the father. According to reports, a physical altercation broke out between Maps and Gardner during the exchange.
Thompson, who was present in the car, intervened to break up the fight and instructed Maps to return to the vehicle. However, the situation escalated when Gardner pulled out a gun and fatally shot Thompson. Gardner then turned his attention to Maps, who attempted to flee but was critically injured by gunfire.
Following the shooting, Gardner fled the scene with the children and was later apprehended by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office at a residence in Jackson County. He was taken into custody without incident and charged with murder and attempted murder. The investigation revealed that Gardner and Maps had a history of meeting at the rest stop for child exchanges, and the altercation on that day led to the tragic events. Maps was transported to Fort Walton Medical Center for treatment of her injuries and was expected to recover.
The case against Gardner proceeded with charges of murder and attempted murder. Authorities continued to gather information from witnesses present at the rest stop during the incident. The Holmes County Sheriff's Office led the investigation, with assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol and Jackson County Sheriff's Office. The community was left in shock by the violence, and the legal proceedings aimed to bring justice for Thompson and his family.
