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Alachua County Sheriff’s Office declared a 28-year-old Ocala man as a person of interest in their investigation of a recent Gainesville shooting after he was found driving the deceased victim’s car Monday.
Police performed a PIT maneuver at 10:16 a.m. on a gold BMW sedan – the car belonging to the deceased victim – after it was reported traveling north on US Highway 441.
The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office identified Javon Barclay, 28, as the driver of the stolen car and charged him with fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement and driving with a suspended license.
ACSO detectives consider Barclay a person of interest in their investigation but have not charged him with Walker’s murder, according to a press release. Barclay has a documented history of alleged domestic violence and an outstanding warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Capt. Chris Sims urged the public to report any information regarding the two cases to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.
Gainesville hairstylist Johnny Walker, 44, was pronounced dead hours before Barclay’s arrest. Police found Walker lying motionless in the parking lot of Cynthia Chestnut Park located at 2315 SE 35th St. A 911 caller reported hearing several gunshots in the area shortly before police arrived.
Johnny Walker went to Cynthia Chestnut Park every Sunday to relax and listen to music, said his older sister Dawn Walker.
“It’s very ironic that he was killed the way he was because he was a very loving, fun, giving person,” she said. “He would have given someone a car, you know? He didn’t have to be murdered.”
Walker was described as the “life of the party” and was known by hundreds of people across Florida and Georgia for his hairstyling, said Walker’s sister.
About 22 family members have gathered at his apartment since Sunday to mourn his death, according to Dawn Walker.
“We just want justice for Johnny, and I’m gonna keep saying those words together and use it on my social media because he needs to get justice because, as the newspapers showed yesterday, they have not even charged him,” she said. “We want to fight for this. We need help in any way you can get help for us. We would like it.”
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This is a breaking news story. Check back for further developments. Contact WUFT News by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.
