Camille Quarles, a 16-year-old girl, was one of the three teenagers tragically murdered in a series of events that shook the community of Ocklawaha, Florida, in the spring of 2023.
Camille Quarles was found dead on April 1, 2023, inside the trunk of a partially submerged vehicle, a Chevrolet Cruze, near Malauka Loop Trace. This vehicle belonged to another victim, Layla Silvernail.
The car was discovered after deputies received a tip, and upon pulling the vehicle from the water, they found Quarles's body in the trunk.
The investigation revealed that Quarles, along with Layla Silvernail and a 17-year-old male identified as Michael Hodo Jr., were all associated with the same group of teenagers who had been involved in car burglaries and were loosely affiliated with gangs. However, there was no evidence to suggest that the murders were motivated by gang rivalry.
The events leading to Quarles's death were part of a larger sequence of violent incidents. On March 30, Layla Silvernail was found critically injured with a gunshot wound to the head near Forest Lakes Park on SE 183rd Avenue Road. She died a few days later on April 4. The next day, March 31, the body of Michael Hodo Jr. was found shot to death along SE 188th Court.
The investigation led to the arrest of three suspects: Tahj Brewton, Christopher De’l Atkins (age 12), and Robert Le’Andrew Robinson (age 17). During the investigation, it was discovered that the 12-year-old suspect confessed to the crime, stating he was coerced into shooting one of the victims by an older suspect who threatened to harm his family.
Sheriff Billy Woods emphasized during a press conference that the murders were a result of the suspects turning on their victims, highlighting the lack of "honor among thieves" and the devastating impact of gang violence on young lives.
