The shooting reportedly stemmed from property that the victim, 33-year-old Daryl Willis Jr., had allegedly stolen the night before. Investigators learned that Willis Jr. had agreed to return the property and returned to the residence from which it had been taken. That’s when the suspect, 41-year-old Joseph Petrus, then drove to the residence and shot Willis Jr. as he attempted to leave.
Upon arrival at the scene, officers located a vehicle that had crashed into a tree in front of a residence. Inside the vehicle, officers found Willis Jr. suffering from a gunshot wound.
Willis Jr. was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Petrus later fled the scene in a vehicle following the shooting, but was quickly apprehended.
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