News and Investigations

News & Investigations

News Releases and Public Information

Welcome to the Polk County Sheriff's Office News Room, where the Public Information Officers (PIO's) post all of the information that they release to the news media. PIO's act as liaisons between news media organizations and the Sheriff's Office. The PIO's routinely release timely and accurate information and Crime Stoppers bulletins, and respond to routine and "breaking news" media inquiries. News releases and Crime Stoppers information can be found on this page.

PCSO's full-time Public Information Officers are Brian Bruchey, Carrie Horstman, and Meghan Petty. The Public Information Officers can be reached by sending an e-mail collectively at PIOs@polksheriff.org.

The recent news releases sent out by the PIOs can be found here, and archived releases (older than 2017) can be found here.

Apr 29, 2022

Two Daytona men indicted in murder of Xavier Johnson

Media Contact: Carrie Horstman, Administrator

On April 29, 2022, a Polk County Grand Jury indicted 29-year-old Justin Jenkins (DOB 7/4/92) of South Daytona, and on December 6, 2022, indicted 32-year-old Carlos Barada (DOB 7/4/1990) of Daytona Beach, for for first degree murder and other charges in the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Xavier Johnson of St. Petersburg.

According to the affidavit, Jenkins and his accomplice, Carlos Barada, went to a home in Davenport on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, to purchase marijuana from the victim. The home was being rented via AirBNB and the victim had been conducting drug sales since April 8th. Videos of the suspects were released to the public, and Jenkins was positively identified. Detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest, and he was later located in Volusia County and taken into custody without incident.

Jenkins was transferred to the Polk County Jail on April 19, 2022, and booked in and later indicted on the following charges:

First degree murder
Armed robbery
Shooting into an occupied dwelling
Attempted first degree murder
Aggravated battery
2 counts aggravated assault
Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon

Detectives also obtained a warrant for Barada's arrest on April 28, 2022, for first degree murder, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was taken into custody in Volusia County on November 16, 2022, after a traffic stop by the Daytona Beach Police Department. He fled from the stop and then actively engaged and resisted officers, resulting in local charges of attempted murder of a LEO, fleeing to elude, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and armed trafficking in fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. He remains in the Volusia County Jail on no bond.