Two Florida teenagers, 16‑year‑old Gabriel Williams and 14‑year‑old Kimahri Blevins, have been indicted on first‑degree premeditated murder charges in the death of 14‑year‑old Danika Troy. Authorities say Danika was lured to a wooded area in Pace, shot multiple times and set on fire; her body was found Dec. 2 after she was reported missing Dec. 1. Both suspects will be tried as adults, are held without bail and face arraignment on Jan. 8, 2026. Investigators say the teens' initial statements do not match forensic evidence and the motive remains unclear.
Two Florida Teens Indicted On First‑Degree Murder Charges In Brutal Killing Of 14‑Year‑Old
Florida teens to be tried as adults in brutal killing of 14-year-old girl
A grand jury has indicted two Florida teenagers on first‑degree premeditated murder charges in the killing of 14‑year‑old Danika Troy, whose body investigators say was found shot multiple times and set on fire in a wooded area.
The Office of the State Attorney announced that 16‑year‑old Gabriel Williams and 14‑year‑old Kimahri Blevins were each charged with first‑degree premeditated murder. Authorities say the teens allegedly lured Danika to a wooded area in Pace, in Florida’s Panhandle, before the attack.
Both defendants will be prosecuted as adults and are being held without bail at the Santa Rosa County Jail. Court records show arraignments for Williams and Blevins were scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026.
Danika was reported missing by her mother on Dec. 1; a passerby discovered her body the following day in a wooded area of Pace. Investigators determined she had been shot multiple times and then set on fire.
Investigators quickly identified Williams and Blevins as suspects. The two teens were known to Danika from school and were taken into custody soon after the discovery.
Sheriff Bob Johnson described the crime as particularly violent and said investigators allege Williams stole his mother’s handgun prior to the shooting. At a news conference, Johnson said:
"This is where it gets really horrific. It’s bad enough you kill a 14‑year‑old. You’re 14. You’re 16. Shoot her multiple times, and then they set her on fire."
The motive for the killing remains unclear. Johnson said the explanations the teens initially offered "don’t fit the forensics or any facts of the case," and that authorities have not identified a legitimate motive.
Detectives have said they initially investigated whether a social‑media dispute over the Thanksgiving break played a role. According to the sheriff’s office, the suspects told investigators they targeted Danika after she blocked one of them on social media and had used insulting language about the other. Danika’s mother, Ashley Troy, rejected that explanation, telling the New York Post, "What those boys said is an excuse."
The investigation remains active and prosecutors expect to pursue the case in adult court. No convictions have been entered; the suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
