Quentin Samuel Jr., a 34-year-old resident of Ocala, Florida, was found shot to death on July 20, 2023. The incident occurred at a home located at 6500 SE 41st Court in Ocala, where deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office were called around 5:30 p.m. following reports of a suspicious incident. Upon arrival, first responders found Samuel dead at the scene.
The death of Quentin Samuel sparked a homicide investigation, during which a person of interest was identified and later taken into custody. The person of interest was later revealed to be Jowarn Mitchell, who is Samuel’s cousin. Witnesses had reported seeing a maroon truck in the area around the time of the shooting, which led investigators to Mitchell.
During the investigation, Mitchell was interviewed by detectives. He initially denied being in the area at the time of the shooting, claiming he had gone to get food and have a tire fixed. However, when asked for specific locations, Mitchell's story became inconsistent, and he stated that he had received the news of Samuel's death and was driving around to clear his head. Detectives were able to determine that Mitchell’s alibi was false using geolocation data from the truck, which showed that he was in front of Samuel’s home around the time of the shooting.
As a result of the evidence, Jowarn Mitchell was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. He is currently being held without bond at the Marion County Jail.
Quentin Samuel Jr. is survived by his wife, Shavonne Samuel, and their children, Ty'Rek, Jaylen, and Tristan Samuel. He is also survived by his parents, Quentin Sr. Samuel and Sharon Samuel, his siblings, Renell Smith, Pernell Smith, Shawnta Samuel, and Jamarian Samuel, and his grandparents, John and Barbara Samuel.
