Jandel Rodriguez, a 17-year-old Hispanic/Latino male, was a student at Orange Park High School in Florida who had spent time in the foster care system. His older sister, Bella, said he was “so goofy, so loving.” The siblings had been separated as children but reconnected several years before his death and spoke daily. Jandel had plans to move to Fresno, California, to live with her, and she was supposed to pick him up just a few days after he was killed. “He didn’t deserve it,” his sister said. “This world was cruel to him.”
On the afternoon of January 2, 2022, a person walking in Orange Park discovered Jandel’s body on a walkway near Clermont Avenue and Bonnlyn Drive. An investigation by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office determined he had died from a gunshot wound to the chest.
Deputies said the shooting was the result of an ongoing dispute between Jandel and several other teenagers.
Using surveillance video, witness interviews, and text messages, detectives unraveled what they described as a premeditated ambush. The investigation first led to the arrests of two 17-year-olds, Andrew Neeper and Dejerrick Gillum, who were found at a local foster home. Initially, Neeper was charged with murder, and Gillum was charged with evidence tampering and accessory to murder.
Further investigation led to the arrests of two 18-year-olds, Christopher Walters and Deashaun Green, in February 2022. According to arrest reports, all four suspects played a role in a murder plot. Investigators alleged that Neeper, Gillum, and Green organized the plan and met at a Bojangles restaurant. There, Walters and Green provided bullets, which Neeper allegedly used to load a handgun in the bathroom. Walters told detectives that he, Green, and Gillum were supposed to act as lookouts while Neeper shot Jandel. Walters claimed he felt bad and went to a nearby Burger King during the shooting, but he admitted to rejoining the others afterward to help hide the gun.
Andrew Neeper, Dejerrick Gillum, Christopher Walters, and Deashaun Green were all ultimately charged with murder. As of September 2023, court proceedings were still pending, and Deashaun Green was reported to be awaiting trial.
