On September 21, 2023, Darius Dunyel Jones, a 55-year-old man from Summerfield, Florida, was found dead along the side of the road in the 2500 block of SE 174th Place, north of Oxford. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
The investigation into Jones' death revealed that he had been driven to a local Walmart by Joseph Edward Horrighs, 38, and a witness.
Horrighs, who was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time, expressed paranoia about the Walmart location, leading to an argument between him and the witness after they left the store. The witness got out of the car and went home, leaving Jones alone with Horrighs approximately 20 minutes before the shooting occurred.
Detectives from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office conducted an extensive investigation, which included executing a search warrant at Horrighs' residence. During the search, they found shell casings that matched those found at the crime scene, along with other evidence and witness testimonies that linked Horrighs to the crime. This evidence was presented to the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, which convened a grand jury. The grand jury returned with an indictment charging Horrighs with first-degree murder with a firearm.
Joseph Edward Horrighs was arrested on February 29, 2024, in connection with Jones' murder. He is currently being held without bond at the Marion County Jail. The authorities believe this incident to be isolated and do not see any further danger to the public.
