Quentin Samuel Jr., a 34-year-old Black man from Ocala, Florida, was a family man described by loved ones as sweet and mild-mannered. On the afternoon of July 20, 2023, his life was cut short. Around 5:30 p.m., deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office were called to a suspicious incident at Samuel's home in the 6500 block of Southeast 41st Court. First responders arrived to find Samuel outside the residence, lying in some bushes.
He had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The sheriff's office immediately launched a homicide investigation. Detectives speaking with witnesses learned that after gunshots were heard, a maroon truck was seen driving away from the home. The vehicle description became a crucial lead, and investigators soon identified the truck as belonging to the father of Jowarn Mitchell, who was Samuel’s 25-year-old cousin.
Deputies located Mitchell driving the truck and conducted a traffic stop. When detectives interviewed him, Mitchell denied being anywhere near his cousin’s home at the time of the shooting. He initially claimed he had gone out to get food and have a tire fixed. When pressed for specific locations, Mitchell changed his story, stating that he had received the "crazy news" about Samuel's death and was driving around to clear his head.
Investigators did not believe his account and worked to verify his alibi. Using geolocation data from the truck’s GPS system and Mitchell’s cell phone records, detectives were able to place him in front of Samuel’s home around the time the shooting occurred. Based on the evidence contradicting his statements, Jowarn Mitchell was arrested on October 2, 2023. He was charged with second-degree murder and held without bond at the Marion County Jail.
Mitchell’s case went to trial, but the proceedings came to an abrupt halt. In October 2025, a judge declared a mistrial after two jurors revealed they had personal connections to the case. One juror stated that they recognized Mitchell's family, and a second juror then claimed to also know a member of the family. This left the court without enough impartial jurors to proceed. As of October 2025, a new trial date had not been set.
