On labor day weekend, Palm Bay residents called police to report hearing
gunfire in their neighborhood. When police arrived on the scene, they
found 22-year-old Brandon Jones behind a house on Northview Street. Jones,
who had been shot, died soon after being transported to Holmes Regional
Medical Center.
A grand jury on Tuesday, indicted 32-year-old John Phillip “Chill
Phill” Bryant for first-degree murder for the death of Jones and
possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the state attorney’s
office, police have been searching for the suspect since the beginning
of October.
Bryant is a felon who was imprisoned between September 2008 and July 2009
for driving with a suspended license, fleeing from law enforcement officers,
and possession of both cocaine and marijuana. Bryant also served from
July 2011 to April 2012 for MDMA (ecstasy).
The grand jury, according to Assistant State Attorney Michael Hunt, heard
testimony from both Palm Bay Police Department crime scene investigators,
a Palm Bay detective and four witnesses before indicting Bryant on the
first-degree murder charge. Anyone with any information on the whereabouts
of Bryant needs to immediately contact Palm Bay Police Department.
Murder is most arguably the most severe charge a person may face in court.
If found guilty of the charge, the accused will face a lengthy prison
sentence, one perhaps without the possibility of parole. If you have been
arrested, charged, or are under criminal investigation for murder, it
is very important to enlist the aid of an experienced
criminal defense attorney to effectively and aggressively fight your criminal charges and protect
your legal rights.