Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Yesterday an Alachua County jury found Jovante Deometre Jackson, 30, guilty of 2nd Degree Murder and Accessory After the Fact to 2nd Degree Murder. He was acquitted on a charge of tampering with evidence.

The arrest report in the case is still sealed, but according to a media release from the State Attorney’s Office, Jackson was identified as a suspect in the shooting death of Thomas Jamal Smith at Aloha Liquor, 930 E. University Avenue, on January 7, 2021. Michael Lamont Davis, Jr., 20, was also identified as a suspect.

Davis was charged with killing Smith and entered a plea of nolo contendere to the charge in July 2022. Davis was sentenced to 22.5 years in state prison and is scheduled to be released in 2043.

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The Gainesville Police Department investigation revealed that Smith was involved in an altercation with Jackson, who gave Davis a gun and told him to “handle” Smith. Jackson later disposed of Davis’ clothes and the gun that was used in the murder. Jackson then drove Davis to Lake City, where Davis stayed for several days.

After a three-day trial, presided over by Judge Phillip Pena, a jury was asked to determine Jackson’s guilt on charges of first-degree premeditated murder, accessory to murder, and tampering with evidence. The jury found Jackson guilty of second-degree murder, a lesser included offense, and accessory to second-degree murder. Jackson’s sentencing is set for October 16.

Assistant State Attorneys Brooke King and Glenn Brian led the prosecution team in the case.