MARION COUNTY, Fla.,None — A man was arrested on Thursday in connection to the shooting deaths of four people who were found inside a burning Marion County home last week, according to deputies.
SUSPECT IN CUSTODY: See Images | Raw Video RAW PRESSER: Marion County Deputies READ: Suspect's Arrest Affidavit AT THE SCENE: Pics Of Damaged Home, Neighbors
Officials announced the arrest of 31-year-old James Edward Bannister early Thursday. He faces four counts of premeditated murder and one count of arson stemming from Aug. 5, when two young children and two adults were shot to death before the Ocala home they were in was set on fire, according to deputies.
Deputies said the victims, 8-year-old CorDarrian Hill, 6-year-old CorDarica Hill, 27-year-old Jocalyn Gray, and 52-year-old Bridget Gray, were found dead inside the charred home on Northwest Fifth Street in Ocala.
Detectives say Bannister's target was his girlfriend Jocalyn Gray. They said they saw Bannister outside the home after the shooting, watching the fire burn with neighbors nearby.
"He was a person of interest from the beginning. We had several leads we were already tracking, said Dan Kuhn, of the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
Bannister was the boyfriend of Jocalyn Gray and they had lived together and had one child together, according to deputies.
Deputies said Bridget Gray lived in the home with the children. According to the arrest affidavit, Jocalyn Gray was invited to the home by her mother, Bridget Gray, who said someone at the home wished to see her. But, Jocalyn Gray was not told who that person was, according to the report.
The Sheriff's Office said Jocalyn Gray arrived at the home just before the fire started. They said her own children were left in her SUV in the driveway and were rescued by a neighbor as flames engulfed the house.
Detectives said they spoke to one of Jocalyn Gray's children, who said that she watched as her mother went to the front door of the home and saw a yellow and white flash, heard a bang, and saw her mother fall to the ground. According to the report, Jocalyn Gray's body was then dragged inside the home and the door was closed.
Neighbors then spotted the flames shooting up from the home and were able to rescue the children in the car in the driveway.
When initially asked where he was during the time of the shooting, Bannister told detectives that he was at Deer Run on 28th Street and at his home.
Deputies said a friend of Bannister's came forward and told them that Bannister was a person of interest. According to the report, Bannister told the friend that he did not know why he did it and that it all seemed like a blur. Detectives said the victim told them that Bannister said it was like playing a video game, but that he couldn't stop.
After Bannister asked the friend to be his alibi, detectives wired the friend with recording equipment to talk with Bannister again. During that conversation, detectives said, Bannister told his friend that he had smoked numerous amounts of synthetic marijuana laced with cocaine. According to the report, Bannister also indicated that Jocalyn was "his world" and then later stated, "I just took my world."
Detectives said they still aren't sure what Bannister's motive was.
"Id like to know the answer to that, said Det. Brian Spivey. It's obvious he tried to lure Jocalyn to that house, with the use of the mother."
The Sheriff's Office said the mother of the Hill children died a few years ago. The father of the children, Willie Hill, lived in the home but is currently in the Marion County jail for DUI and domestic abuse, according to deputies.
"I think he over-reacted and shot her. And then he had to turn around and shoot Bridget and the kids to cover it up," said Hill.
Bridget Gray's fiance was watching his kids while he was serving his sentence, Hill said.
Authorities said Bannister did prison time for robbery years ago.
Previous Stories: August 8, 2011: Cops: Marion Murder Victims Shot Before Fire
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