Thomas Buckhalter, a 34-year-old African American man and father of eight, was killed in a drive-by shooting on Applegate Street in Milton, Florida, on February 4, 2017. Multiple shots were fired into a crowd; Buckhalter was critically injured and died at the scene. Two others, Ashley Johns and Jermun Narin, were shot and survived.

Investigators identified and arrested several suspects. Melissa Pocopanni, who was in the car during the shooting, testified against others. Walter Ford, Kyhem Johnson, and Dedric Davis were found guilty for their roles; Ford and Davis were convicted of second-degree murder with discharge of a firearm and two counts of attempted second-degree murder, and Johnson was convicted as a principal. Pocopanni was also sentenced for her involvement. Testimony, cellphone location data, and witness statements were cited during the proceedings.

The trial record states the group had gone to the location intending a robbery or drug deal before the encounter escalated into the shooting that took Buckhalter’s life.