One of three young men accused of murdering three teens last year is working to resolve unrelated charges.
On Monday, Tahj Demarcus Brewton pleaded no contest to charges of carjacking while armed and tampering with electronic monitoring device. This was an open plea, meaning Circuit Judge Robert Hodges will impose sentence with no plea bargain terms in place for consideration. Brewton could receive up to 30 years in prison.
Two other charges, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and grand theft of a motor vehicle, were merged into the carjacking offense, according to court filings. Several other charges he faced, including grand theft of a motor vehicle, were terminated.
Shackled, and wearing a red and white jail uniform, Brewton stood beside his attorney, Evan Gardiner of Smith & Eulo in Orlando, during Monday’s hearing. Gardiner told the judge the defense seeks a pre-sentence investigation. A date hasn’t been set for Brewton’s sentencing. Brewton did not have any family or friends present in court.
Assistant State Attorneys Rich Buxman was in court for the prosecution.
About the carjacking
The carjacking case dates back to August 2022. Marion County Sheriff’s Office officials said Brewton, at the time age 16, pointed a gun at another juvenile sitting in a car. Authorities said the minor was waiting on his mother to get pizza when he was ordered to get out of the vehicle.
Deputies said the carjacking occurred in front of the Pizza Hut at 9264 SE Maricamp Road. The vehicle was recovered the next day by deputies.
Brewton was arrested and placed on supervised release/intensive home detention with an electronic monitor as the case was working its way through the court system.
Then, on March 2, 2023, Brewton went missing and the electronic device was found 50 yards from his residence.
Brewton and two others face murder charges
Several weeks later, on March 30, sheriff’s deputies were called to Forest Lakes Park on Southeast 183rd Avenue Road because a body was seen on the side of the road. The victim had been shot.
Within days, two other bodies, including one in a car pulled from a body of water, were found nearby. The three victims, two girls and a boy, were teenagers and all had been shot at close range.
Detectives said the deceased individuals were in a vehicle with their alleged killers when they were shot. From their investigation, detectives identified those responsible as Brewton, Robert Le’Andrew Robinson, and a 12-year-old boy. At the time of the deaths, sheriff’s officials said, Brewton was 16, Robinson was 17 and the third was 12. Robinson is now 18 and the youngest boy is now 14.
Indicted by a grand jury in May 2023, Brewton and Robinson are each charged with three counts of first-degree murder with a firearm. Additionally, Brewton faces charges of robbery with a firearm and evidence tampering, while Robinson has charges of two counts of robbery with a firearm and one count of evidence tampering.
The 14-year-old is charged with first-degree murder with a firearm, robbery with a firearm, evidence tampering and battery by person in detention facility.
Local attorney Henry Ferro, who’s representing the family of one of the victims, 16-year-old Layla Silvernail, told a Star-Banner reporter on Monday the family is “absolutely destroyed and devastated over a preventable homicide, and we trust the courts to do their jobs.”
Both Robinson and the minor are at the county jail, where they are being held without bail. Though the boy is at the jail, he’s separated from the adults at the facility.
Juvenile charges: The latest on the Ocklawaha homicides: charges, other cases, legal representation
Court records show Charles Vaughn is representing Brewton on the murder charges. Robinson’s lawyer is local attorney Jack Maro. Debra Tuomey, a private lawyer, is the attorney for the 14-year-old boy.
Robinson and Brewton have pre-trial conferences set for later this month. The teen’s pre-trial conference is scheduled for next month.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala, Florida judge will sentence murder defendant in unrelated case