Florida Man Sentenced for Murder After Carjacking and Fatal Lake Mary Incident

A Brutal Crime and the Power of Digital Evidence

A Florida man has been found guilty of a heinous crime that shocked the community. Toivante "Toby" Williams, 31, was convicted on July 28 for the brutal killing of Katrina Redden, 39. The jury’s decision came after a six-day trial where prosecutors presented compelling evidence that led to charges of second-degree murder, carjacking, and other serious offenses.

The events leading up to Redden’s death began on the night of May 24, 2021. According to testimony from Javier Martinez, an acquaintance who was driving Williams and Redden in his white Ford F-150 pickup, tensions quickly escalated. Martinez claimed that Williams became angry, accusing him of flirting with Redden. This led to a violent altercation inside the truck, during which Williams assaulted Martinez.

Martinez managed to escape the vehicle, leaving behind his phone, shoes, and wallet. Security footage later showed him walking in his socks to a 7-Eleven to call for help. Meanwhile, the stolen white Ford F-150 was tracked heading south toward Lake Mary. Around 11:40 p.m., a chilling 911 call reported a man yelling, “Get a ride now!” followed by the truck intentionally running over Redden near a parking lot. The driver then made a deliberate turn, running over her a second time, ultimately causing her death.

During the trial, Williams’ defense attempted to cast doubt on his involvement, pointing to a lack of traffic-camera photos proving he was driving the truck at the time of the murder. Williams himself had initially tried to blame Martinez in interviews with Lake Mary police. However, prosecutors presented irrefutable location data extracted from Williams' mobile phone, which placed him at both the initial carjacking scene and the murder scene, aligning precisely with witness statements and surveillance videos.

Assistant State Attorney Domenick Leo emphasized the significance of the phone data during the trial, stating, “His phone tells you when he killed her.” He argued that the defendant was trying to frame an innocent man. The phone data also corroborated Williams' own account of driving the truck to Orlando and abandoning it near the junction of SR 417 and SR 408.

In addition to the murder charge, jurors also convicted Williams of trafficking methamphetamine (for more than 14 grams found with him) and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. These charges added to the severity of the case, as Williams had committed these crimes within three years of his release from a previous prison term. Prosecutors successfully argued for him to be sentenced as a Prison Releasee Reoffender, a designation in Florida that carries significantly tougher minimum mandatory sentences.

Williams now faces the prospect of life in prison. Circuit Judge Jessica Recksiedler has scheduled his sentencing for August 7. The case highlights the importance of digital evidence in modern criminal investigations and underscores the consequences of violent and unlawful behavior. The community continues to grapple with the impact of this tragic event, while the legal system moves forward with the pursuit of justice.