- November 27, 2024
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Othal Wallace, the man who shot and killed Daytona Beach Police Officer Jason Raynor in 2021, was sentenced to the maximum of 30 years in prison on Friday, Oct. 27. Wallace was found guilty of manslaughter by a Clay County jury in September.
"The line of duty death of Officer Jason Raynor was an immense tragedy, one that still weighs heavily on this agency and our community," Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said in a statement. "Today, we take solace in the knowledge that the perpetrator of this heinous crime has received the maximum sentence allowed by law following his manslaughter conviction."
On the evening of June 23, 2021, Raynor was patrolling at an apartment complex off of Kingston Avenue in Daytona Beach when he came across Wallace sitting in a Honda SUV, according to a press release. The officer’s body camera video showed a 42-second interaction between him and Wallace, where Wallace refused to answer Raynor’s questions or listen to his commands.
Eventually, the interaction escalated and a gunshot could be heard. Raynor, who was quickly found by his fellow officers, had been shot in the head and was sent to the hospital in critical condition.
Three days later, on June 26, 2021, Wallace was found by Georgia State Police hiding in a treehouse in a remote area east of Atlanta with multiple weapons. He was arrested and extradited back to Volusia County.
Raynor died on Aug. 17, 2021, due to complications from the gunshot wound.
“Officer Jason Raynor was doing his job — protecting our community — and he lost his life as a result,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said in a press release. “The defendant shot and killed Officer Raynor because he harbored a deep-seated hate for law enforcement — not because he was fearful for his life. There is no sentence that would adequately punish the defendant for his brutal murder but imposing the maximum sentence brings some measure of justice and accountability.”
In his statement, Young expressed condolences to Raynor's family and thanked Larizza and his team of prosecutors for their work on the case.
"Since the day Officer Raynor lost his life protecting and serving others, our community has sought justice for this senseless act of evil," Young said. "Now, the judicial proceedings in this case have concluded, but our love for Jason remains. Always."
