In the pre-dawn hours of June 29, 2023, 38-year-old Jason Michael Mallette, a resident of Daphne, Alabama, was fatally shot in what police have described as a targeted attack. The incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. in the parking lot of Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe, where Mallette worked as the manager. He was at the back entrance of the restaurant with a female employee when he was confronted by a man. Following a brief conversation, Mallette was shot once in the chest.
The assailant then fled the scene. The female employee, who was not physically harmed, immediately called for emergency services. Despite the life-saving efforts of first responders, Mallette succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Within a day of the shooting, authorities arrested 41-year-old Travis Dante Orlando Lofton Sr. of Mobile in connection with the killing. Acting on tips from video surveillance and witness statements, Mobile County sheriff's deputies apprehended Lofton at his residence. A weapon was recovered from his vehicle at the time of the arrest. Lofton was subsequently charged with murder. Investigators believe the motive for the shooting stemmed from an apparent grievance Lofton had with Mallette, which was related to Lofton's wife, who was an employee at the same restaurant.
The investigation revealed that Lofton had allegedly been told by his girlfriend, who also worked at Taziki's, that Mallette had sexually assaulted her. Prosecutors stated that these allegations were fabricated by the girlfriend, who had also created false text messages to support her claims. The day before the fatal shooting, Lofton had contacted the Daphne Police Department to report the allegations, but his girlfriend was unwilling to speak with the police. It is believed that Lofton then waited for Mallette at the restaurant the following morning. He reportedly asked Mallette to confirm his name before shooting him and fleeing. A cell phone dropped by Lofton in the parking lot aided in his identification.
Travis Lofton's trial for the murder of Jason Mallette began in November 2024. The jury heard testimony from the assistant manager who was with Mallette at the time of the shooting. She described the assailant pointing the gun at her as well after shooting Mallette. A recording of her 911 call as she attempted to render aid to Mallette was also played in court.
