ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A man was charged with murder eight years after another man was killed in an alleged bicycle accident, deputies said Monday night.
Ronald Johnson died in June of 2005. At the time, investigators were told he had been in a bicycle accident near Raeford Road and South Bumby Avenue.
However, detectives said Johnson's death was not an accident.
Jason Gailey, 33, was led out of the Orange County Sheriff's Office, shortly after being arrested Monday night.
Investigators said Gailey killed Johnson.
"(Investigators) were told by witnesses that were there that the suspect had suffered a bike accident," said Mike Ruggiero of the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators said Johnson's mother and sister never believed the bike accident story and kept fighting to get answers.
"They were tenacious, and they would not rest," said Ruggiero.
According to authorities, the family heard that Johnson's death wasn't an accident, so they told investigators.
Investigators said the case was reopened, and after nine months of investigative work, they found out what actually happened.
According to investigators, Gailey was in a fight and Johnson tried to break it up. They said Gailey hit Johnson in the head with a gun, knocking him to the ground and causing Johnson to hit his head hard on the concrete.
"He never regained consciousness," said Ruggiero.
Investigators said witnesses to the incident were too afraid to tell the truth.
"They were intimidated. He was known to carry a firearm. They didn't feel safe in coming forward and being straight forward with the truth," said Ruggiero.
Investigators said that after reopening the investigation, they were able to persuade witnesses to talk, which helped them solve the case.
Gailey was charged with second-degree murder and is being held in the Orange County Jail without bail.
WFTV
