JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A man has been sentenced Friday afternoon for fatally shooting a Daytona Beach police officer in 2021. A Clay County jury found Othal Wallace, 31, guilty of manslaughter in September for killing Jason Raynor as Wallace will now spend the next 30 years incarcerated with credit to 847 days already served.
Following the sentencing, Daytona Beach Police Department Chief Jakari Young posted the below statement on the police department's Facebook page:
The line of duty death of Officer Jason Raynor was an immense tragedy, one that still weighs heavily on this agency and our community. 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.
Since the day Officer Raynor lost his life protecting and serving others, our community has sought justice for this senseless act of evil. Now, the judicial proceedings in this case have concluded, but our love for Jason remains. Always.
We also take comfort in the knowledge that a hero remembered never dies, and Officer Jason Raynor will never be forgotten. Officer Raynor will not be remembered for the way he died, but for those ideals he embodied in life – honor, courage, and dedication – and his willingness to lay down his life in service to others.
His enduring legacy of service and sacrifice will live on as an inspiration to his family, friends, and a grateful community.
To the Raynor family, words cannot express how deeply sorry I am for the unimaginable pain you’ve endured every day since June 23, 2021. We share in your grief and will continue to be here to support you in any way we can. I hope today’s sentencing provides you with some sense of solace.
I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to State Attorney R. J. Larizza and his team of resolute prosecutors whose commitment to delivering justice in this case cannot be understated, and to our partners in the law enforcement community who assisted and stood with us during a very difficult time.
As Chief of Police, I am incredibly proud of the officers and staff of the Daytona Beach Police Department for their dedicated service to our community. I would also like to thank the citizens of the City of Daytona Beach for the incredible outpouring of care, compassion, and support they have shown our department in the aftermath of the tragic loss of Officer Jason Raynor.
Daytona Strong. Raynor Strong.
Wallace was found guilty of manslaughter and not guilty of first-degree murder, in which prosecutors had been seeking.
What happened?
Wallace shot and killed Raynor in the head during a June 23, 2021, confrontation behind Wallace's apartment. Around 9 p.m. on the day of the shooting, Raynor who was 26, responded to a suspicious incident near Kingston Avenue in Daytona Beach, police reported. It was during this call that Raynor approached Wallace's vehicle and then the confrontation started in which details of that are unknown.
After the killing, Raynor was rushed to the hospital for surgery and recovery but died of his injuries 55 days later. A 'Florida Blue Alert' was issued statewide and a two-day manhunt ensued as Wallace fled the area after the shooting and then was captured in DeKalb County, Georgia. He was found hiding out in a treehouse outside Atlanta on property owned by an extremist Black militia group, NFAC, labeled a “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The trial was moved to Clay County in June because both sides agreed it would be difficult to pick an impartial jury in Volusia County as well as there being intense pretrial publicity.
