Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On February 18, the Alachua County Fall Term Grand Jury indicted William Walter Murphy, 36, for the murder of Nathaniel Foye, who was shot during a botched drug deal in November 2023.

At about 4:38 a.m. on November 3, 2023, Gainesville Police Department officers responded to a call about a shooting and found a man lying on the ground, face down, outside an apartment at Windsor Terrace Apartments (3520 SW 20th Avenue), with a single gunshot wound to his neck. The victim, Nathaniel Foye, died from the gunshot wound about nine months later.

A witness said he had called Murphy to tell him Foye wanted to buy drugs. Murphy reportedly arrived around 40 minutes later, and the witness said Murphy and Foye completed their drug transaction, with the victim receiving crack cocaine for $100, and he heard a gunshot as he was leaving the apartment. The witness said he never saw Murphy holding a gun, but Murphy was the only person around the victim at the time of the gunshot. Murphy later reportedly discarded a firearm while running from officers.

The Grand Jury reviewed the evidence presented by Assistant State Attorney Ryan Nagel and returned a True Bill, indicting Murphy for first-degree murder, carrying a concealed firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, and resisting an officer without violence.

Judge Kristine Van Vorst received the findings and ordered Murphy held without bond on the murder charge.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.