Trial for man accused of killing Daytona Beach police officer being moved to Clay County

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — The trial for a man accused of killing a Daytona Beach police officer in 2021 has been moved to Northeast Florida.

On Friday, Circuit Judge Raul Zambrano issued an order granting the motion filed by the defense team of Othal Wallace, 31.

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Wallace is accused of killing Officer Jason Raynor in June of 2021 while he was responding to a suspicious incident near Kingston Avenue in Daytona Beach.

Wallace was found hiding in a treehouse in Georgia. Investigators said he was arrested in a rural area of DeKalb County, Georgia, three days after he allegedly shot Raynor in the head.

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Raynor died of his injuries two months later, in August 2021.

Zambrano said in addition to Clay County, Escambia, Santa Rosa, Bay, and Lee counties were also considered by the court. Some of the factors that were considered when selecting the venue included “community, demographics, county’s willingness to host the trial,” Zambrano’s order said.

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In the initial change of venue motion filed in April, Wallace’s Terry Shoemaker said, “The effect of the initial spate of publicity to the case was not lost on the citizens of Volusia County. The impact of this ongoing and intense media coverage has created a general atmosphere and state of mind in the Volusia County community against Othal Wallace.”

In a response motion filed by the State Attorney’s Office days later, they said, “Defendant has presented no evidence to this Court that he cannot obtain a fair and impartial jury in Volusia County and has therefore failed to meet his burden.”

Zambrano’s order said the case “shall begin on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 at 8:30 a.m.” at the Clay County Courthouse in Green Cove Springs.

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