A Citrus County grand jury on Monday returned a true bill indicting 37-year-old William Michael Larsen Sr. of Floral City on charges that include first-degree premeditated murder and arson in the April 7 death of 67-year-old Bryant Milo Leggett. The indictment also accuses Larsen of tampering with an electronic monitoring device and battering a law-enforcement officer. Prosecutors have filed formal notice that they intend to seek the death penalty, and Larsen remains jailed at the Lecanto Detention Facility with no bond. The grand jury’s decision moves what began as a local investigation earlier this month into full-scale criminal court proceedings.
What prosecutors say
According to a press release from the Office of the State Attorney, Fifth Judicial Circuit, the grand jury returned a true bill that lists first-degree premeditated murder along with arson and related counts. The release states that the alleged killing happened "on or about April 7, 2026" and names Assistant State Attorneys Blake Shore and Richard Buxman as the prosecutors assigned to the case. The statement notes that, given the severity of the allegations and the impact on Leggett’s family, the State Attorney’s Office has filed a notice of intent to pursue capital punishment under Florida law. The office also confirms that Larsen is being held at the Lecanto Detention Facility with no bond.
How the case unfolded
Local coverage has largely mirrored the charging documents while filling in details from the original arrest. As reported by Tampa Bay 28, prosecutors say Larsen is accused of designing the death of 67-year-old Bryant Leggett. Earlier accounts from regional outlets described deputies responding to house fires and an alleged fatal stabbing during the early-morning hours of April 7, according to reporting by WRGA. Investigators have not publicly released a motive, and prosecutors have said additional charges could follow as the probe continues.
Legal path ahead
The State Attorney’s Office has lodged a formal notice that it intends to seek the death penalty, signaling that prosecutors are treating this as a capital case under Florida law. The Office of the State Attorney, Fifth Judicial Circuit identified Assistant State Attorneys Blake Shore and Richard Buxman as the prosecutors on the file and said the grand jury returned a true bill on April 27. The release also reiterates that Larsen remains in custody at the Lecanto Detention Facility with no bond as the case moves forward.
What’s next
With the grand jury’s true bill in place, the case heads into its next phase, which typically includes an arraignment and a series of pretrial hearings. Local reporting has followed both the indictment and the state’s death-penalty notice but has not yet reported a scheduled court date, according to Tampa Bay 28. Public reaction in Citrus County has been relatively quiet so far as investigators continue their work and the court process takes shape.
