A man was found guilty in a retrial of a drug-related death of a Central Florida teen.
After deliberating for roughly 90 minutes, jurors recently returned a guilty verdict in the case against 31-year-old Isaac Troy Lemons. Lemons was convicted of Manslaughter and Sale of a Controlled Substance.
“This case is another example of a young life lost due to illicit drugs and the greed of others to make a profit,” said Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson. “The defendant’s actions in dealing these deadly substances demonstrate the severe disregard of human life but also added another layer of danger to an already perilous situation.”
Lemons’ case comes as a result of his 2015 arrest linked to the death of 18-year-old Dylan Joseph Thornton. Back in September of that year, Dylan went missing after his friends hosted an 18th birthday party for him.
The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) was contacted in reference to Dylan being missing. Over the next couple of days, an extensive search took place in Spring Hill where Dylan was last seen. Tragically, on the morning of September 15, 2015, the significantly decomposed body of Dylan was found along some dunes south of the Duke Energy transfer station.
The Medical Examiner who performed the autopsy on Dylan ruled his cause of death as Alpha-PVP toxicity, the substance referred to as “Flakka,” a dangerous drug that is similar to the street drug commonly known as bath salts. HCSO’s missing persons case then turned into a suspicious death investigation.
Detective Dustin Adkins was assigned the case and learned that a DJ had been arranged to play at the birthday party. It was also discovered that the DJ, later identified as Lemons, was asked to bring some “Molly” to the party, which is a street drug containing amphetamines.
Shortly after his arrival, Lemons sold a quantity of “Molly,” later determined to actually be “Flakka,” which was then distributed to others, including Dylan. Later that evening, both Dylan and his friend left the party under the influence and eventually parted ways after believing they were being followed while in their disoriented state.
After the verdict was delivered, the Honorable Judge Daniel B. Merritt ordered Lemons into custody to await his sentencing hearing which is scheduled for November 7, 2024.
This case went to trial in the summer of 2021 and resulted in a hung jury. The re-trial commenced on Monday, August 19, 2024, with jurors returning the verdict of guilty. The State Attorney thanked the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office investigators involved in this case, as well as District 5 Medical Examiners Dr. Wolf and Dr. Goldberger whose testimony helped ensure a guilty conviction.
This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Robert Lewis and Melissa Underwood.
