EDGEWATER, Fla. — The Edgewater Police Department closed early Monday so department personnel can attend a court hearing for Eduardo Labrada-Machado, the man charged with the murder of EPD Officer David Jewell.
Labrada-Machado is accused of shooting and killing Jewell in 2025; he is expected to take a plea deal and be sentenced Monday afternoon.
At 11 a.m. on May 18, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office began handling all calls for service within the City of Edgewater. Officials said this would ensure “law enforcement coverage remains fully active and uninterrupted.”
The temporary closure of the EPD lobby, however, impacts all in-person services for the remainder of the day Monday. The lobby will resume normal business hours at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
In a social media post, the department said, “This arrangement allows EPD staff to be present for a significant step in the legal process concerning Officer Jewell’s death ... The department acknowledged that this day marks a difficult but important step for Officer Jewell’s family, the agency and all who knew and loved him.”
The City of Edgewater said that calls for service will still be answered and dispatched through normal channels and that emergency and non-emergency responses will remain fully covered by VSO while EPD personnel attend Monday’s hearing.
Channel 9’s Demie Johnson will also be in the courtroom for Labrada-Machado’s expected plea deal and will bring you the latest on Eyewitness News beginning at 4 p.m.
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