Darel Devonte Mims, a 23-year-old African American male, was tragically killed on January 11, 2016, in Pensacola, Florida. The incident occurred during a home invasion at his apartment on Burgess Road. According to reports, two masked men forced their way into the apartment at gunpoint, ordering the residents to lie down on the floor. Mims was asleep in a rear bedroom when one of the intruders entered and shot him in the head with a shotgun at close range.
The investigation quickly
identified three suspects: David Lee Calland, Bryan Marquis Simmons, and Jezzamay Arline Atherton. Calland, 26, was charged with first-degree felony murder, while Simmons, 27, and Atherton, 21, faced charges of second-degree murder. Witnesses inside the apartment at the time of the robbery identified Calland and Simmons as the intruders. Phone records also placed Calland at the crime scene.
During the trial, it was revealed that the robbery and subsequent shooting stemmed from a drug transaction. Simmons had arranged to buy marijuana from one of the residents. Atherton, who drove the getaway vehicle, testified that she initially covered for Calland out of fear but later implicated him as the shooter. Both Simmons and Atherton pleaded to lesser charges and agreed to testify against Calland.
Calland was found guilty of first-degree felony murder after a two-day trial and was sentenced to life in prison. The testimonies of Simmons, Atherton, and other witnesses were crucial in securing the conviction. The case highlighted the violent consequences of drug-related activities and the importance of witness cooperation in achieving justice.
