Santa Rosa County Inmate Sentenced to 15 Years for Deadly Prison Chokehold
On September 1, 2026, a Santa Rosa County jury found Tavis E. Williams guilty of Manslaughter. Santa Rosa Circuit Court Judge Clifton Drake immediately sentenced Williams to the maximum sentence of fifteen years in state prison. Williams was sentenced as a Prison Releasee Reoffender and is not eligible for gain time or any form of […]
FWB Felon Arrested With Gun and Suspected Marijuana.
Fort Walton Beach Police *reportedly* arrested a man for weapons violations, claiming he displayed a gun and possessed “suspected” drugs.
Fort Walton Beach Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth, Cocaine, and Fentanyl
FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — A 40-year-old Fort Walton Beach man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida. Elliot Maurice Bell was sentenced Wednesday, Sept. 2, following […]
Okaloosa County to remove all Flock cameras after FDOT memo
Okaloosa County will remove Flock license plate recognition cameras from state and county roads after FDOT revoked local law enforcement permits for LPR technology. The order cites concerns over misuse, data privacy and surveillance. Sheriff Eric Aden said the removal is disappointing from a public safety standpoint.
Lengthy Prison Sentence for Jay Man in Case Involving 8-Year-Old Victim
Kyle Wesley Allen Stover was sentenced to 40 years in state prison followed by lifetime sex offender probation after convictions for multiple offenses involving an 8-year-old child. Judge Clifton Drake also designated Stover as a Sexual Predator. The offenses occurred at a home in Jay between December 2023 and September 2024.
Curtis Johnson Murder Trial Ends With A Not-Guilty Verdict
A Santa Rosa County jury has acquitted former Okaloosa County corrections sergeant Curtis Marvin Johnson of second-degree murder in the 2025 shooting death of his roommate, Barbara “Barbie” Dedert. Johnson was found not guilty August 20, 2026, bringing the case to a close more than a year after the shooting.
Suspect killed in Crestview SWAT standoff may have intended to attack nearby school, Sheriff says
A man killed during a Crestview SWAT standoff may have intended to attack a nearby school, according to Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden. Investigators discovered weapons, ammunition, gas masks and IEDs inside the suspect’s home after he opened fire on police executing a Risk Protection Order.
Okaloosa County may help fund animal control using surtax funds
The Okaloosa County Surtax Committee voted to advance a proposal that would use $600,000 in tourism surtax funds to help pay for animal control services. County officials say the funding would support a scaled-back “Animal Control Light” program after PAWS ends its contract with the county this fall.
Santa Rosa Man Sentenced After Gruesome Animal Cruelty Investigation
A Santa Rosa County judge sentenced Gunner Cole Bush to five years in state prison—the maximum penalty allowed—after a jury convicted him of aggravated animal cruelty. Prosecutors said Bush tortured a kitten to death, while investigators also uncovered the remains of two other missing family cats during the investigation.
Federal Case Ends in Guilty Plea for Former Navarre Gymnastics Coach
Former Navarre gymnastics coach Theresa Mitchell pleaded guilty to federal child exploitation and money laundering charges and faces decades in prison.
