A Central Florida man who opened fire on the relative who had taken him in will spend 20 years in prison, ending a case that began with a dispute over whether a handgun belonged around children. Joel T. Ferrer, 25, was convicted of manslaughter in the death of David N. Jackson, 41. He was also ordered to serve 10 years of probation after prison.
The sentence was imposed June 4 by Circuit Judge Michael Rudisill, according to the Office of the State Attorney for Florida’s 18th Judicial Circuit. The case drew renewed local attention Monday after West Orlando News published a fresh account of the sentencing.
Argument Over Gun Led To Casselberry-Area Shooting
The shooting happened in July 2023 at the Goldelm at Regency Oaks apartment complex in the Casselberry area. Police said Ferrer had been handling a semi-automatic handgun when Jackson confronted him about keeping a gun in a home shared with children, according to WFTV.
Jackson later went into a breezeway to smoke a cigar, and Ferrer followed him. Prosecutors said Ring camera footage showed Jackson, who was unarmed, walking quickly toward Ferrer before Ferrer opened fire and struck him seven times, including once in the back.
Self-Defense Claim Failed At Trial
Ferrer testified that he feared Jackson would hit him or push him down nearby outdoor stairs. The prosecution’s account also noted that Ferrer had been drinking shots of Jack Daniel’s before the shooting and had recently visited Orlando’s Aquatica water park with Jackson and the family.
Jackson had taken Ferrer in, sharing the apartment with Ferrer’s aunt and four children. Prosecutor Stewart Stone said the sentence was appropriate and that Jackson’s family was pleased with the outcome, according to the state attorney’s office.
What The Manslaughter Conviction Means
Florida law defines manslaughter as the killing of a person without lawful justification when the conduct does not qualify as excusable homicide or murder, and classifies it as a second-degree felony. The statute is outlined by the Florida Senate.
Ferrer was initially accused of second-degree murder after the shooting, but a Seminole County jury convicted him of manslaughter in April. The verdict indicates jurors rejected his self-defense argument as a complete defense while finding him guilty of the lesser homicide offense.
Ferrer will serve 20 years in state prison followed by a decade of probation. The sentence brings the courtroom phase of a case that began with a family living arrangement, a loaded handgun and an argument in a Florida apartment complex to its latest major conclusion.
