Two men have been arrested in one of the fatal Memorial Day shootings in Orange County, which detectives described as retaliatory for a prior killing that same day.
Keyonte Eugene Dorch, 30, and Demordrick Pearson, 19, were arrested on charges of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Brandon Smith, 36, who was shot May 31 on Holly Street in Zellwood.
Smith was shot just after 7 p.m. in his vehicle, and was pronounced dead the following day.
The shooting came just two hours after deputies responded to a different shooting about 25 miles away, on West Colonial Drive near Barry Street, in which Willie Standley Jr., 23, was killed. Detectives have not yet arrested anyone in that case, but have asked for the public’s help finding and identifying a 2006-2010 Volvo XC60 SUV that “may be associated” with the shooting.
According to Dorch’s arrest affidavit, he showed up to the shooting scene on West Colonial Drive where Standley was killed, and was recorded on a deputy’s body-worn camera screaming, “A [expletive] about to die tonight. I put that on my mama.”
About two hours later, Smith was fatally shot in front of Dorch’s relative’s house, where several witnesses told detectives they saw him and Pearson fire their handguns at Smith. The affidavit said other men who were armed at the time also started shooting at Smith, but it’s unclear if OCSO plans to make any other arrests in the case.
Detectives said Smith had gone to the home of Standley’s relatives on Holly Street to explain he was not responsible for Standley’s killing, but soon after an argument broke out and he was shot. The affidavit said Dorch believed Smith to be responsible for Standley’s murder.
The affidavit for Pearson was not immediately available.
There have been “multiple drive-by shootings” directed at the families of the homicide victims from May 31, the affidavit said, but it was unclear if anyone had been arrested in those.
Dorch and Pearson are being held without bond.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-ne-two-arrested-homicide-orange-20210617-4nc7gztxubalham5pzk6tv52oi-story.html
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