Willie Standley Jr., 23, was shot and killed in a parking lot on West Colonial Drive just east of the Central Florida Fair on May 31, 2021, at about 4:30 p.m. He was found wounded, taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, and pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Initial circumstances were unclear.

Surveillance showed the shooter in a black Volvo SUV. A tip to Crimeline and subsequent investigation led detectives to identify Marcel Jullien Middleton, 20, of Mount Dora, as the primary suspect. Middleton allegedly told investigators he felt threatened because he believed Standley was reaching for a gun; no firearm was found in Standley’s vehicle. Middleton admitted firing a Taurus 9mm handgun from the SUV and later disposing of the weapon. Two companions were with Middleton and, he said, were unaware he intended to shoot.

Middleton was charged with first-degree murder and held without bail at the Orange County Jail. Anyone who saw the shooting or has information about Standley’s last hours or the events in that parking lot is asked to come forward.