Daytona Beach police charged 19-year-old with murder of Telan Mann – Daytona Beach News-Journal
DAYTONA BEACH — A 19-year-old Daytona Beach man is facing a first-degree murder charge in the shooting death of Telan Mann, also 19.
Daytona Beach Police arrested Jakari Webb on Tuesday for the June 23 homicide. He is being held without bond in the Volusia County Jail.
According to police, Webb believed Mann was going to out him as gay.
“The suspect had some concern that he was going to be outed by (Mann) as far as his sexual preference, so to say,” Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said during a press conference on Wednesday.
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“(Mann) was an openly gay male, who was engaged in an online relationship with the suspect,” Young said. “They ended up meeting at that location on June 23 and the suspect ends up shooting and killing (Mann), and then fleeing on foot.”
Police took Webb into custody while serving a search warrant at a home on Garden Street around 8:45 p.m. on Tuesday. A 9mm handgun was also found on the property. The police report did not specify the type of gun used in the killing.
It is unclear whether the property on Garden Street is Webb’s place of residence. A police report said that surveillance footage showed Webb leaving the property close to 1 a.m., the day of the shooting, and returning at around 3 a.m., after the shooting.
In addition to first-degree murder, Mann is also charged with a probation violation and resisting arrest after he unsuccessfully attempted to flee from SWAT and K9 officers during the search.
Using technology – a crucial part of which included video surveillance from nearby businesses, residences and even from Bethune-Cookman University – the department’s Criminal Investigations Division pieced together Webb’s movements before and after Mann was killed, Young said.
Surveillance footage critical to investigators
Mann’s body was discovered just before 2 a.m. on June 23 near Oak Tree Circle and Forest Glen Boulevard, soon after officers patrolling that area heard shots fired. Police found Mann in a pool of blood and with multiple gunshot wounds.
According to a police report, footage obtained from a leasing office at Forest Glen Boulevard showed Webb “walking from Nova Road and westbound onto Forest Glen Boulevard. The suspect is observed kneeling down behind a grass hill located at the corner of Oak Tree Circle and Forest Glen Boulevard to conceal himself from the victim.”
The footage then shows Mann walking around the small grass hill and Webb firing “multiple shots at the victim” before fleeing the area toward Nova Road.
“I am extremely proud of my investigators,” Young said, adding that the investigation took more than 120 hours. “And I’m not shy about telling you that I have the best in the business. They are second to none.”
Young continued: “They are truly the definition of what we call ‘relentless follow-up. This highlights the importance of technology, especially through video surveillance and being able to track that suspect from one location to the other and put this thing together. I couldn’t be prouder of this team.”
Young read a prepared statement from Mann’s family, who were unable to attend Wednesday’s press conference.
“On behalf of the family of Telan Mann, we truly appreciate all the hard work and dedication your team has done to catch the person behind this,” the statement said. “Thank you to all who supported our family through this tough time. Now that we have justice, we have peace, and we can lay our beloved Telan to rest.”
Additional charges possible
Police determined that Mann and Webb’s encounter on June 23 was their first in-person meeting. They had been communicating through social media since February.
“The motive is not entirely clear,” said police detective Dave Dinardi. “They were having a four-month online communication going back and forth. Exactly what transpired, what was going through the suspect’s mind, I don’t think we’ll ever fully know.”
Young said that “there are discussions with the State Attorney’s office as far as possibly tacking on a hate crime charge for what he did to the victim.”
“This is extremely tragic, and it’s just completely unnecessary.” Young said. “You have two 19-year-olds who barely lived, they are just starting their lives and you basically have two lives lost – one to the grave, the other to the prison system.”