January 7, 2022
On May 2, 2016 Levy County Deputies responded to a reported home invasion robbery in Morriston, Florida. Detectives investigated the robbery which turned violent and took the life of Francisco De Jesus Soto (31). Johnny Tadree Turner (4/17/94) of Lakeland, Florida was identified through forensic evidence collected at the scene. Turner was arrested and booked into the Levy County Detention Center on November 18, 2016 and charged with First Degree Murder and Home Invasion Robbery with a Firearm. He has been held in custody with NO bond since his arrest.
On January 5, 2022 Turner entered an open plea of guilty to the Honorable Circuit Judge William Davis. This case had numerous aggravating factors which led Judge Davis to impose the sentence of Life in prison in the Florida Department of Corrections.
Sheriff McCallum said the decision Turner made to enter his guilty was in part due to the excellent and exhaustive work his Deputies and Detectives did during this investigation. The sheer volume of evidence identifying Turner as the murderer was undeniable. The open plea of guilty saved countless hours and the huge expense of a jury trial. We hope that the family of Mr. Soto can now be comforted knowing that justice has been served, stated Sheriff McCallum.