Grand Jury indicts 14-year-old with two counts of first-degree murder for shooting parents

GREEN COVE SPRINGS – State Attorney Melissa Nelson announced the return by a Clay County grand jury Tuesday, Aug. 12, of an indictment charging Trevor Eugene Lee, 14, with two counts of first-degree murder.

The grand jury indicted the teen for the Aug. 4 killing of his parents, David Lee, 44, and Brandi Smith, 45, in their Middleburg bedroom. Lee’s next court appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Aug. 19. The case will be prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Pam Hazel, Ashley Terry and Jamie Cona.

According to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Lee called the agency’s communications shortly after midnight from CrossPointe Church on County Road 220 on Fleming Island after walking 1.5 miles from his home on Silver Point across Swimming Pen Creek after the shooting. He told them he had shot his parents to death.

“Based upon our preliminary investigation, and we're still very early in this investigation, it appears that there was some sort of domestic argument last night between Trevor Lee and his parents, and that this shooting culminated from that argument,” Cook said.

Cook said the boy left the gun at the scene.

OP High student arrested for threatening to shoot student on first day of school

ORANGE PARK – Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputies were notified on Aug. 7 that a student from Orange Park High received threatening calls from an unknown juvenile suspect on Aug. 6 that the victim would be shot on the first day of school. According to CCSO, the suspect appeared to know the victim, indicating certain personal information that caused the victim’s alarm and informed their family of the threats. The victim’s mother spoke to the suspect, who reiterated the threat to not only the victim, but also to her.

Detectives, in collaboration with the Clay County School Board, began an immediate investigation. While working diligently to collect the suspect’s identity, the investigation on Aug. 8 led to identifying the suspect as 16-year-old Joseph Nicholas Barrett. With the cooperation of Barrett’s family, he was interviewed about the threats and arrested for two charges of aggravated stalking and one charge of the unlawful use of a two-way communication device. There was no immediate evidence of Barrett having access to a firearm, and the agency believes it was an isolated incident between Barrett and the victim.
Barrett was transported to the Juvenile Detention Center in Jacksonville without incident.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office and Clay County School Board are committed to the safety of all students, and threats of violence will not be tolerated. Schools are a place for growing and learning without fear of harm. CCSO encourages anyone, whether a student, faculty member or a family member, to report any threats of violence, both on and off campus. If anyone in the community learns of any threats, you are encouraged to call the Clay County Sheriff’s Office using 91- or the non-emergency line at (904) 264-6512 - or submit a tip using the SaferWatch app.

14-time Middleburg felon sentenced to 15 years for possessing two handguns

JACKSONVILLE – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard sentenced Todd Wade Powers, 38, of Middleburg, to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Powers pleaded guilty in April 2025.

According to court documents, on April 30, 2024, deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a gas station regarding a complaint. While there, the deputies observed a car parked near a gas pump and recognized the license plate affixed to the car as one that had been reported stolen out of Jacksonville. The deputies saw an open backpack on the passenger seat of the car along with a firearm and a white powdery substance, later identified as 92.8 grams of cocaine, at the top of the open backpack. During a search of the car, the deputies also found fentanyl, 9.7 grams of methamphetamine and 34.7 grams of marijuana, as well as two loaded firearms.

During their investigation, the deputies were able to tie Powers to the car, and Powers later admitted that the firearms and drugs were his. Powers was previously convicted of 14 felonies, including three counts of possession of controlled substances, two counts of felony petit theft, seven counts of sale or delivery of controlled substances, dealing in stolen property and false verification of ownership on a pawnbroker transaction form. Therefore, Powers is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and CCSO investigated this case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, making our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy that strengthens PSN, based on the following core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Fleming Island man killed while crossing Park Avenue on Aug. 6

 ORANGE PARK – A 71-year-old Fleming Island man was struck and killed while crossing Park Avenue (U.S. Highway 17) on Aug. 6, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.

According to an FHP release, the victim was struck shortly after 9 p.m. in the middle northbound lane. FHP said the driver was “unable to avoid a collision with the pedestrian.”

The highway patrol does not release the names of people involved in accidents.