Lake County, FL – 53-year-old Undray Benson has been found guilty of first-degree murder following a bench trial for the 2022 death of 31-year-old Antwain Jamar Hart. After his conviction, Judge James R. Baxley sentenced Benson to life in prison, as mandated by Florida law.
Chief Assistant State Attorney Walter Forgie expressed the gravity of the crime, stating, “The actions of this defendant were calculated, deliberate, and devoid of remorse. Justice demands accountability for such actions.”
The tragic incident occurred on November 8, 2022, when officers with the Umatilla Police Department responded to a shooting on Merrell Avenue. There, they found Hart shot multiple times in the front yard of his mother’s home. Witnesses reported seeing a white Mercedes near the scene. Evidence collected included shell casings and the victim’s phone, while Hart’s rental vehicle was discovered abandoned at a nearby church.
Assistance from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office led detectives to crucial surveillance footage, which showed a rented 2015-2017 Mercedes Benz CLS associated with Marvin Ellison, later identified as a co-defendant. Further phone records revealed a path that matched the crime scene and the location of Hart’s vehicle.
Additional footage showed three individuals unloading the Mercedes at an apartment tied to Benson’s family, linked to a business called “Dray’s Spot Detailing.” Deandre Anderson, the third co-defendant, was identified in the footage. A search of the apartment turned up illegal drugs and a 9mm handgun, which matched the weapon used in Hart’s murder. The evidence pointed to a coordinated effort among the suspects to rob and kill Hart, likely motivated by drugs in the victim’s vehicle.
Co-defendants Anderson and Ellison are awaiting trial. The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Gabriel Lozano and Nicholas Camuccio.