On April 12, 2024, 19-year-old John Dewayne Lee Connor was found deceased at his residence in Dalkeith, south of Wewahitchka, Florida. The Gulf County Sheriff’s Office received a call in the morning, initially reporting a missing person, which was quickly followed by a report of a body found on the property at 3160 CR 381. Deputies arrived at the scene at 7:44 a.m. CT.
John Connor resided at the property, which is owned by his family, Angela and John Connor. However, his parents were not at home at the time of the incident. The investigation revealed that Connor’s family had made the initial calls to report the missing person and subsequently the discovery of the body.
The Gulf County Sheriff’s Office is treating the death as a homicide until proven otherwise.
Sheriff Mike Harrison stated that the department is working on leads, interviewing potential suspects, and gathering information about activities that occurred the night before and the morning of the incident. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Crime Scene Unit arrived at the scene later that day to assist in the investigation.
In addition to John Connor's death, a second person reported to a hospital in Bay County with a superficial gunshot wound and was treated and released. The sheriff believes that the two incidents are related.
As of the latest updates, the sheriff was awaiting the results of an autopsy conducted by the medical examiner. The investigation is ongoing, with the sheriff emphasizing that this is an isolated incident among a group of people who knew each other. John Connor was a student-athlete in the Class of 2023 at Wewahitchka High School, and his death has been described as a tragic event in a relatively quiet neighborhood.
The community and law enforcement are working to provide answers and justice for the Connor family, with donations for funeral expenses being coordinated through his sister's Facebook page.
