Jamey "JuJu" Bennett Jr., a 19-year-old resident of Palm Coast, Florida, tragically lost his life on February 5, 2022. The incident occurred during a party in a wooded area near Matanzas Woods Parkway and North Old Kings Road. The gathering, which was a birthday bonfire, turned fatal when an altercation broke out just before 2 a.m. Bennett was shot and killed in the vicinity of the StorQuest Express self-storage facility, a location known locally as the "mudhole".
The investigation into
Bennett's death led to the arrest of a 15-year-old suspect, Da'Mari Barnes, who was charged with manslaughter with a firearm. The Flagler County Sheriff's Office reported that Barnes fled to Georgia following the shooting but later turned himself in to the Mitchell County Sheriff's Office in Camilla, Georgia, on February 23, 2022. The arrest was facilitated by the cooperation of Barnes' parents, who were persuaded by detectives to have their son surrender.
Sheriff Rick Staly of Flagler County expressed his hope that the arrest would bring some measure of justice to Bennett's family. He also highlighted the challenges of dealing with such serious crimes within the juvenile justice system, advocating for Barnes to be charged as an adult due to the severity of the offense. The State Attorney's Office considered a range of charges, including first-degree murder, and deliberated on whether to prosecute Barnes as an adult.
The tragic event underscored the dangers of unsupervised gatherings and the importance of parental awareness. Sheriff Staly emphasized the need for parents to be vigilant about their children's activities and whereabouts, especially during late-night events. The case also brought attention to the broader issue of gun violence among youth and the critical role of community and family in preventing such incidents.
