Donnell Williams

Donnell Williams was a 24-year-old Black man whose life was tragically cut short in Daytona Beach, Florida. Loved ones remember him in connection with his children, whose mother became a point of contention that would ultimately lead to his death.

On the night of Sunday, September 10, 2023, an argument erupted between Williams and another man, 25-year-old Danitto Simpson, in the courtyard of the Daytona Garden Apartments in the 500 block of Jean Street. The two men had a history of conflict, reportedly because Simpson was in a relationship with the mother of Williams' children. Witnesses stated that a month prior, Simpson had pulled a gun on Williams during another fight but had missed. On this night, however, the confrontation turned deadly. Witnesses told police they saw the two men fighting before both fell to the ground. Simpson then stood up, pulled out a handgun, and shot Williams in the stomach. As Williams tried to run away, Simpson chased him and shot him again.

Just before midnight, around 11:45 p.m., the Daytona Beach Police Department received 911 calls reporting a stabbing. When officers arrived, they found Donnell Williams on the floor inside one of the apartments, covered in blood. It was quickly apparent that he had not been stabbed but had suffered gunshot wounds. Emergency responders transported him to Halifax Health Medical Center, but his injuries were too severe. Williams was pronounced dead at the hospital. An autopsy later confirmed he had been shot in the abdomen, with the bullet traveling from front to back, and in one of his legs from back to front, indicating he was shot while trying to flee his attacker.

The Daytona Beach Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation. Based on witness statements, they identified Danitto Simpson as the prime suspect and issued a warrant for his arrest on a charge of first-degree murder. Investigators also noted that Simpson, a Jamaican national who was reportedly in the country illegally on an expired visa, was already wanted on a separate warrant for aggravated battery on a pregnant person for allegedly beating his girlfriend with a broomstick.

Simpson fled the state after the shooting, prompting a manhunt. He was eventually located and arrested in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by local police and U.S. Marshals. After his capture, Simpson was extradited back to Volusia County, Florida, to face justice. In August 2024, a Volusia County grand jury indicted him on the charge of First-Degree Murder with a Firearm.

The case went to trial in July 2025. Over four days, prosecutors from the State Attorney's Office presented evidence and testimony from multiple witnesses who identified Simpson as the shooter. The jury found Danitto Simpson guilty as charged of first-degree murder. Immediately following the verdict, Circuit Judge Karen Foxman sentenced him to the mandatory term of life in prison without the possibility of parole. "This case marks the second life sentence this week for violent crimes committed in the 7th Circuit,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said after the conviction, underscoring the gravity of the crime. The case is now considered closed with the conviction and sentencing of the man responsible for Donnell Williams' death.