Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – William Walter Murphy III, 35, who was arrested on November 3 and charged with attempted murder, allegedly sold drugs to the victim before shooting him, according to his arrest report.

At about 4:38 a.m. on November 3, Gainesville Police Department officers responded to a call about a gunshot 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 report notes that the victim’s three necklaces were scattered on the ground next to him, indicating that there was a struggle. The victim was reported to be in critical condition.

Officers made contact with a witness who lives at the apartment and was present at the time of the shooting. The witness reportedly said that another person had come to the apartment earlier and said the victim had money to purchase drugs from Murphy. The witness said he called Murphy and gave the phone to the second person, who told Murphy that the victim wanted to purchase drugs for $100. The witness said Murphy agreed to come to the apartment to meet with the victim.

Murphy reportedly arrived around 40 minutes later, and the witness went to get the victim from a nearby apartment; the witnesses reportedly agreed that the only people inside the apartment at that point were Murphy, the victim, the witness, and a third person. The third person was reportedly in a bedroom at the time of the shooting.

The witness told the officer that Murphy and the victim completed their drug transaction, with the victim receiving crack cocaine for $100. The witness said he decided to leave the apartment to get some “blunts” and that Murphy was directly behind him as he walked out of the apartment. He said he turned his back briefly to get his key and heard a gunshot; when he turned around, he said, he saw the victim on the ground and Murphy walking away. 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.

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Murphy reportedly drove away, and the witness provided a description of the car. Officers found that Murphy had previous contact with law enforcement in a car matching that description and found the car parked outside an apartment at Woodland Park Apartments. Officers monitored the apartment for several hours, and at about 12:16 p.m., Murphy reportedly came out of the apartment.

Officers reported that Murphy refused to stop and instead ran, tossing a firearm along the way.

Post Miranda, Murphy reportedly asked to speak with a lawyer.

Murphy has been charged with attempted murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and resisting an officer without violence.

Murphy has a juvenile criminal history and eight adult felony convictions (five violent), all in Alachua County. He has served three state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2015. Judge Phillip Pena ordered that he be held without bond on the attempted murder charge and set bail at $300,000 on the other charges.

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.