Duval County Jury Finds James Guilty of First-Degree Murder

State Attorney Melissa Nelson announces that a Duval County jury found Greggory James guilty of First-Degree Murder and Possession of a Firearm by a Juvenile Delinquent. With the verdict, James faces a mandatory sentence of life in Florida State Prison. The Honorable Judge London Kite will formally sentence James at a future hearing.

On Jan. 6, 2021, members of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded to an Edison Avenue auto body shop in response to calls of a shooting. When they arrived, they found the victim on the ground outside the shop suffering multiple gunshot wounds. The victim died shortly thereafter from his injuries. Multiple witnesses said the victim was at the front of the shop with others when the suspect, later identified as James, walked up wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt that concealed his face and fired nine shots at the victim. Seven of them struck him in the planned attack. James then ran to a waiting black sedan with a Texas license plate next to the shop being driven by a codefendant. A police chase followed, with other witnesses calling 911 to report the crime. Eventually, officers stopped the car and James exited the vehicle and ran before he was captured. Inside the car was the gray sweatshirt James had worn during the shooting. The crime gun James used was recovered nearby after James had thrown it out the window. Both the sweatshirt and the gun tested positive for having James’ DNA on them.

The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Erin Wolfson and Dan Skinner.