Joseph Rollford Liebe, a 24-year-old White man, was shot and killed on the evening of June 19, 2023, in Pace, Florida. The fatal encounter began by chance at a gas station in the nearby community of Molino.
According to prosecutors, Mr. Liebe was at the checkout counter when one of three men, Marcus Dickinson, noticed him and believed he "had money." Dickinson returned to a vehicle occupied by Ja'Cobey James and Ty'Jerrious Malone.
Instead of driving to their home in Atmore, Alabama, the three men decided to follow Mr. Liebe as he drove toward Pace.
The pursuit ended near Wallace Lake Road and Quintette Road. As Mr. Liebe attempted to drive away, he was on the phone with his fiancée. Ja'Cobey James allegedly stepped out of the suspects' SUV and opened fire. Mr. Liebe was struck once in the chest. His vehicle then crashed into a wooded area nearby.
Deputies from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of the shooting around 6:30 p.m. and found Mr. Liebe deceased at the scene. The investigation led detectives to identify James, Malone, and Dickinson as the individuals involved in the roadside ambush.
In November 2025, a Santa Rosa County jury found Ja'Cobey James guilty of second-degree murder for firing the shot that killed Joseph Liebe. As of that month, James was awaiting his sentencing, which was scheduled for January 20, 2026.
