Duval County Jury Finds Allen Guilty of Second-Degree Murder

State Attorney Melissa Nelson announces that a Duval County jury found Erik Allen guilty of Second-Degree Murder; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. With the verdict, Allen faces up to life in Florida State Prison and is eligible to be sentenced as a Habitual Felony Offender. The Honorable Jeb Branham will sentence Allen at a later date.

On Oct. 6, 2022, officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded to a person shot at a motel on Harts Road. Jacksonville Fire and Rescue took the victim to the hospital where he died from his injuries. On scene, witnesses told officers where Allen ran after he shot the victim, and they described what he was wearing. Officers used their K9s to track Allen who was found hiding in the nearby woods by Interstate 95 and Dunn Avenue. Allen was arrested and officers recovered a magazine stuck in the mud under where he was hiding. Other personal items were also recovered from his hiding spot. Multiple witness statements aligned with video surveillance footage that showed Allen approaching the victim on the balcony before they got into a physical fight. They stopped fighting and Allen went downstairs toward the parking lot. Allen then fired three shots up at the victim who was still on the second-floor balcony; two shots hit the victim. Allen is also a previously convicted felon and is not legally allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition.

The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Trey Atkinson and Christina Stifler.