Tyler Rashad Hopkins, a 26-year-old African American male from Crystal River, FL, tragically lost his life on February 20, 2020. On that fateful day, Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) deputies responded to a shooting incident in the Copeland Park neighborhood of Crystal River. A witness to the incident transported Tyler, who had been shot, to a local hospital. Despite the medical team's efforts, Tyler succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased by the attending physicians.
The investigation into Tyler's death was immediate and intensive. Detectives Laborda and Ramos from CCSO's Major Crimes Unit (MCU) led the investigation, interviewing numerous witnesses and examining various types of evidence collected from the scene. During their investigation, David Jerome Lemon Jr., a 26-year-old male from Crystal River, was identified as a person of interest in the fatal shooting. Initially, investigators obtained probable cause for Lemon on a charge of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and secured a warrant for his arrest. However, Lemon had already fled the area by the time law enforcement officials attempted to locate him.
The search for Lemon continued as the investigation into Tyler's murder progressed. On October 15, 2020, members of the CCSO Tactical Impact Unit (TIU) and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force located Lemon and took him into custody for the active warrant. Nearly four months after this arrest, Lemon was released from the Citrus County Jail on a $50,000 bond. However, his freedom was short-lived. As a result of the continued efforts by detectives to examine additional evidence and pursue all leads, an arrest warrant was issued for Lemon on February 4, 2021, for the murder of Tyler Hopkins. Lemon was taken into custody and transported to the Citrus County Detention Facility, where he is being held without bond.
The arrest of David Lemon Jr. brought some sense of closure and justice to Tyler's family and the community. Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast emphasized the impact of this violent crime on the victim's family and the community, stating that Lemon's actions had robbed both of their sense of safety and security. The diligent work of the detectives and law enforcement officials in bringing Lemon to justice has made Citrus County a safer place.
