Gregory C. Reed, a 60-year-old Black man and U.S. Army veteran, was a father of four and grandfather of two who lived in Apopka, Florida. His family described him as a caring and committed "big family man" and a "beautiful soul" who always made time for his loved ones. He had worked in the food industry for much of his life, at one point owning his own restaurant, and was working as a Domino's Pizza delivery driver when he was killed. His cousin remembered him as an "awesome man" and a youth football coach.
On the evening of November 9, 2023, a brief, angry encounter at a gas station in Ocoee, a suburb of Orlando, turned deadly. Around 8:20 p.m., Reed was driving his Ford SUV through a BP/Circle K gas station when he had a near-collision with a silver Mercedes-Benz SUV. According to a witness, Reed honked his horn, which led to a verbal exchange between him and the two people in the Mercedes. After the Mercedes parked at a pump, Reed attempted to drive out of the station.
The passenger of the Mercedes then got out, walked over to Reed’s vehicle, and fired five shots, striking him multiple times.
After the shooting, Reed’s SUV rolled into the adjoining Publix grocery store parking lot and crashed into a parked car. First responders provided aid at the scene before he was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries. The Mercedes fled the scene.
The Ocoee Police Department launched a year-long investigation. Detectives released surveillance photos of the suspect vehicle, which led to a critical break in the case. The owners of the Mercedes saw the images in the news and contacted police, telling them they had rented the car to a man named Kendrick Jerrod Anderson for a two-week period that included the day of the shooting. Investigators learned that Anderson often let a friend drive while he rode in the passenger seat.
A search warrant for Anderson's phone data placed him in the area at the time of the murder. A further search of his phone revealed he had taken a picture of a live television news report from the crime scene. He had also sent text messages asking for "prayers" after Reed’s family made a public appeal for information.
Following the investigation, police arrested Kendrick Jerrod Anderson, 27, on November 8, 2024. He was charged with second-degree murder in connection with Gregory Reed’s death. A judge set his bond at $50,000, which he posted. As of November 2024, the case was proceeding to trial.
