Young Guns Defendant Executed Victim in Central Florida Catfishing Murder

A Young Guns defendant executed his victim in a Central Florida catfishing murder case using a fake Instagram account.




After a three-day trial last week, a Volusia County jury found Young Guns defendant Jakari Webb guilty as charged of First-Degree Murder (Firearm). Immediately following the verdict, the defendant was sentenced to life in prison.

In the early morning of June 23, 2022, Webb, who was only 19 at the time, was messaging back and forth with another 19-year-old man from Daytona Beach using a fake Instagram account. Eventually, the defendant lured the victim into meeting him in person.

When the victim arrived at the Oak Tree Cr. and Forest Glen Blvd. intersection, Webb – who was hiding and waiting behind a grass hill – came out and shot him seven times.

The victim died from his injuries at the scene.

Video surveillance showed the defendant arriving and ultimately running away from the scene back to a home on Garden Street.

Several days later, Daytona Beach Police detectives executed a search warrant at the Garden Street home. The defendant didn’t comply with their commands and tried to run away, but detectives were able to take him into custody.

During the Central Florida investigation, a forensic examination of the defendant’s cell phone was completed and linked the defendant to the murder weapon, the victim and ultimately the homicide itself.

“The defendant’s execution of our victim was a classic example of premeditation,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said about the case. “He lay in wait, armed with a semi-automatic handgun. The fact that he shot our victim nine times leaves no doubt that his sole intention was murder.”

The case was investigated by the Daytona Beach Police Department. Assistant State Attorney Mark Interlicchio successfully tried the case for the state. The Honorable Randell Rowe III presided over the case and pronounced sentence.