On November 3, 2023, Jose Valliant, a 28-year-old resident of Belleview, Florida, was fatally shot in the parking lot of a Burger King located at 2301 E. Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala, Florida. The incident occurred during an altercation, and following the shooting, Valliant got into someone’s car and was taken to HCA Florida Maricamp Emergency, where he was pronounced dead.
The Ocala Police Department (OPD) has identified the shooting as part of a "drug deal gone wrong".
An investigation into the incident led to the arrest of David Smith III, 21, who faces a third-degree murder charge in connection with Valliant's death. Smith was already in jail on various felony charges, including aggravated assault, failure to appear, drug possession, and drug trafficking, at the time of his arrest for the murder charge.
In addition to Smith's arrest, two other individuals, Kevin Latrell Coleman, 29, and Tulana Joshua, 33, both from Ocala, were arrested for tampering with evidence related to the shooting. However, neither Coleman nor Joshua is suspected of being involved in the actual shooting. Coleman, a convicted felon, was also charged with firearm possession and is being held without bond, while Joshua is being held on a $5,000 bond.
As of the latest updates, the case remains under investigation, and the Ocala Police Department is seeking any additional information from the public. Anyone with information about the shooting is encouraged to contact the OPD and reference the case number 202300161521.
