MARION COUNTY, Fla. — State Attorney William Gladson announced three grand jury indictments Tuesday on three Marion County teens for a gang-related, triple homicide in March, according to a news release.
Three juveniles - Robert Robinson, Christopher Atkins and Tahj Brewton will all be charged as adults for the murders of Michael Hodo Jr., Layla Silvernail and Camile Quarles.
Robinson and Brewton were indicted on three counts of first-degree murder and Atkins was indicted on one count of first-degree murder. They were also all charged with robbery with a firearm and tampering with physical evidence.
Timeline of events:
On March 30 at approximately 6:30 p.m., a redacted incident report obtained from the Marion County Sheriff's Office, revealed a robbery taking place with two or three of the boys in front of a residence in Marion County. Several neighbors recalled hearing a single gunshot at approximately 7:10 p.m. that night and seeing a white sedan leaving the area at a high rate of speed. Later that night at 10:48 p.m., a Silver Springs resident was told by his neighbor, that a girl had been dropped off at his dumpster shortly after hearing "four or five loud pops," the incident report states. When the unidentified male resident approached the victim at his dumpster, the girl later identified as Silvernail, was seen visible bleeding from a gunshot wound sustained to the head but was still breathing. Paramedics responded on scene and she was taken to a local hospital in Ocala where she later died.
On March 31 at approximately 8 a.m., the Marion County Sheriff's Office received a call in reference to a dead body found in a nearby ditch. When deputies arrived, Michael Hodo Jr., 17, was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives noted the location was about 0.4 miles from the location where Silvernail was found.
On April 1, Marion County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the area of Malauka Loop and found a car partially submerged in a lake and a 16-year-old girl, later identified as Camille Quarles with gunshot wounds in the trunk of the car. The sheriff's office determined that the car was stolen from Silvernail and the girl found in the trunk was pronounced dead.
During the Marion County Sheriff's Office investigation, arrests were made on the three teens. Atkins was arrested at his residence on April 7. Robinson was arrested on April 7 as well, already in custody and serving a prior charge. Brewton was arrested in Lake County, Florida on April 8.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods and detectives with the sheriff's office, worked alongside the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and United States Marshall's Office during the investigation of this case. Detectives used evidence from the victims' phones such as text messages and photos to link the suspects to the murders.
All three juveniles are currently held in the Marion County Jail with no bond.
