Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Xaviyaun Jacquez Williams, 23, was found guilty by a jury today on first-degree homicide, second-degree attempted homicide, and attempted felony murder charges and was sentenced to life in prison.

On January 18, 2021, Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a residence in the Linton Oaks area and found that 22-year-old Trevaughn Wilkerson had been shot; he later died from his injuries.

The investigation found that Wilkerson and a second victim were in an SUV and had been communicating with Williams about buying narcotics; the second victim said he saw Williams get out of a vehicle, display a handgun, and demand narcotics and money; when Wilkerson refused to comply with the demands, Williams shot him through the window of the SUV. The second victim said Williams also shot at him, but the gun appeared to malfunction and no rounds were fired; he said Williams took a bag of narcotics and several hundred dollars in cash from Wilkerson before leaving.

Today, a jury found Williams guilty of first-degree murder for Wilkerson’s death, a lesser included offense of attempted second-degree murder for shooting the second victim, and attempted felony murder for shooting the second victim during a robbery attempt.

It is often the case that defendants who go to trial and are found guilty by a jury receive severe sentences, and Judge William Davis sentenced Williams to three lengthy sentences, all consecutive to each other (i.e., one sentence is served before the second one starts): a life sentence for first-degree murder, 30 years for attempted second-degree murder, and a life sentence for attempted felony murder.

Cornelius Christopher Allen, Jr., who allegedly helped Williams search the SUV for items to take from the victims, and Jonah Alexander Maultsby, who allegedly served as lookout, were also arrested in connection with the case. Allen was found mentally incompetent to proceed to trial and was released to his family in June 2021; a sworn complaint from March 2023 charged Allen with unlawfully carrying a concealed firearm after he was found with a gunshot wound, but he has not been booked on that charge. Maultsby was charged with accessory after the fact, entered a plea of nolo contendere to robbery, and was sentenced to nine months in jail in 2021; he is currently in the Alachua County Jail, facing charges of human trafficking and sexual battery on a victim under the age of 12.