A St. Johns County grand jury indicted Christian Barrios today for the first-degree murders of Melissa Wood and Jason Chatham. Authorities say Barrios shot the pair outside a Ponte Vedra Walgreens after suspecting infidelity. Following the shooting, he stole a vehicle and fled to Nassau County before his capture. Barrios allegedly confessed to the killings. A judge will soon decide on sealing that confession.
Circuit & County Court
Former Flagler Beach Facilities Director Bryan Moisao Sues City, Alleging Wrongful Retaliatory Termination
Former Flagler Beach facilities director Bryan Moisao filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging wrongful termination and whistleblower retaliation following his discharge last September. Moisao alleges City Manager Dale Martin fired him for reporting operational misconduct despite receiving a good performance evaluation. The city personnel board previously dismissed his administrative complaint despite discrepancies in two separate evaluations, one of which he’d never seen.
Palm Coast Council Candidate Darlene Shelley Preparing to Sue City and Council Member Theresa Pontieri Over ICI Vote
Darlene Shelley filed a lawsuit against Palm Coast and Council Member Theresa Pontieri. The legal action–hung up in an errors cue at the clerk’s office for now–challenges an approved housing expansion in the E Section. Shelley alleges the council violated due process and transparency rules. She also claims Pontieri holds a conflict of interest regarding first responder housing. Pontieri dismissed the claims as frivolous and politically motivated.
She Was in Labor at a Florida Hospital. Then She Was in Zoom Court for Refusing a C-Section.
Cherise Doyley faced a bedside judicial hearing during active labor after refusing a C-section at a Jacksonville hospital. Doctors cited uterine rupture risks, yet Doyley prioritized her autonomy and recovery concerns. The court eventually authorized emergency intervention without her consent in a case that highlights how fetal personhood policies can strip pregnant patients of constitutional rights, leading to forced medical treatments and controversial legal precedents.
Flagler County Sheriff Participation in Federal Immigration Sweeps Raises Questions About Local Taxpayer Costs
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly says local taxpayers will be left bearing no burden for participation in federal immigration sweeps. Signed agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement indicate the county remains responsible for salaries, benefits, training and other costs, and neither the Sheriff’s Office nor federal agencies are providing specific financial data, including about the cost of housing migrants at the county jail as transparency remains elusive.
At Least 205 Migrants Have Been Detained at Flagler County Jail So Far This Year as Part of ICE Sweeps
At least 205 individuals arrested as part of the Trump administration sweep of undocumented migrants have been detained at the Flagler County jail so far this year, based on a day-by-day analysis of jail bookings by FlaglerLive. Records remain heavily redacted despite state public records laws. Local deputies now act as federal agents through the 287(g) program, with significant activity continuing daily. The jail reportedly offers better conditions than federal holding centers, but verification and transparency remain difficult to impossible.
Bunnell Pastor Charles Cowart Receives Probation for Axe Incident After his Wife Pleads for Leniency
Charles Cowart received three years of probation on Wednesday following an incident involving an axe and aggravated assault charges. Judge Dawn Nichols issued a downward departure sentence after Cowart’s wife requested the charges be dropped. In a separate case, Nichols sentenced John Weis to one year in prison for molesting a 13-year-old girl at Flagler Beach’s Wickline Park.
Hammock Community Association Sues County and Developer Over 204-Boat Storage Plan
The Hammock Community Association and neighbor Kathy Viehe filed a lawsuit against Flagler County and developer Bob Million. The complaint seeks to quash a site plan for a 204-boat storage facility at Hammock Harbour on State Road A1A in the Hammock. It alleges the county violated land use regulations and lacked substantial evidence. This follows a $550,000 settlement between the county and the developer over another lawsuit last month.
Judge Sets Bond At $250,000 For Palm Coast Student Accused Of Burying Newborn In Backyard
Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols set bond at $250,000 for 20-year-old Anne Mae Demegillo, a Palm Coast student accused of allowing her newborn to die and burying the infant. Demegillo must surrender her passport and remain in Flagler County under conditions resembling house arrest. The court noted her lack of criminal history and sloppy attempts at hiding her deed from her parents.
Flickr Child Abuse Case Moves To Trial as Palm Coast Sex Offender Withdraws Plea, Objecting to Prison Term
Gary Durso, a 63-year-old Palm Coast sex offender, withdrew his guilty plea after a judge refused a sentence of house arrest. Durso faces a third-degree felony for allegedly uploading child sexual abuse material to Flickr. His prior conviction for traveling to meet a minor influenced the judge’s decision. A trial is set for May, where the defense will challenge the digital evidence.
10 Years in Prison for Melvin Adona for Hit-and-Run Deaths of Jacqueline Martin, 50, and Georgette Fisher, 59
Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols sentenced Melvin Adona to 10 years in prison and 10 years of probation for a 2023 hit and run in Bunnell. Adona, driving 70 mph after drinking, struck three pedestrians, killing Jacqueline Martin and Georgette Fisher while severely injuring Philip McClure. The defense and Adona himself claimed he “froze” in shock. The judge emphasized punishment, the loss of two lives, Adona’s concern for himself after the crash, and she singled out a deputy’s life-saving actions.
17-Year-Old Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison, 10 on Probation, for Armed Burglaries in West Flagler With 3 Accomplices
Alan Gabriel Jaramillo-Hernandez, 17, was sentenced to five years in prison and 10 years of probation for his role in 15 armed burglaries in West Flagler. Despite guidelines suggesting 13 years, Judge Dawn Nichols granted a downward departure. Jaramillo-Hernandez, who was 16 during the crimes, must pay restitution and avoid contact with three co-defendants, including his brother, while adhering to a curfew.
Potential Litigation Over Flagler Beach’s Annexation of Veranda Bay Isn’t Over Until Kim Carney Says It Is
Flagler County officials are reconsidering a previously assumed universal settlement regarding the Veranda Bay annexation. Commissioner Kim Carney, citing missing resident petitions, contends the annexation is illegal. Despite warnings from the county attorney about losing mitigation funds and a 153-acre conservation deal, the commission will hold a workshop to discuss legal action. The move, with guarded support from Commission Chair Leann Pennington, pending further deliberations, threatens to reignite conflict between Flagler Beach and the county.
Judge Grudgingly Grants City’s Emergency Delay in Home Builders’ Lawsuit Against Palm Coast Over Impact Fees
A circuit judge reluctantly granted Palm Coast an emergency delay in a critical lawsuit filed by the Home Builders Association over significantly increased development impact fees. The city requested the postponement after the builders submitted a second amended complaint, causing confusion over which document governed the proceedings. The HBA is concerned about financial cost of further delays, but the judge prioritized avoiding procedural errors that could lead to an appeal.
Palm Coast Splash Pad Suit Settlements Reach $2.375 Million, but City Still Faces Over $1.2 Million Loss
Palm Coast has reached a settlement with the final contractors involved in the shoddily constructed Holland Park splash pad. While total recoveries reach $2.375 million, the city remains over $1 million in the red due to rebuilding costs and legal fees. The City Council is expected to ratify the agreement on Tuesday, officially ending the four-year litigation.
County Testily Approves $550,000 Hammock Harbour Settlement, Clearing the Way for 204-Boat Storage Facility
Flagler County Commissioners voted 4-1 to approve a $550,000 settlement with Hammock Harbour, ending a six-year legal dispute and allowing a 204-boat storage facility on Scenic A1A. Despite strong opposition from Hammock residents and reluctance from commissioners, the agreement invalidates special exception requirements and grants the developer building credits to avoid a potentially costlier jury verdict.
Flagler Beach Approves Conflict-Resolution Window to Stave Off County Litigation Over Summertown Annexation
The Flagler Beach City Commission approved a timeline extension to facilitate negotiations with Flagler County, aiming to avoid litigation over the Summertown development’s annexation. Disputes center on a recycled-water commitment, floodplains, and traffic impacts. The county initiated the formal conflict-resolution process. Both sides are optimistic that negotiations will make litigation unnecessary.
Judge Sets Nov. 16 Trial Date in Allete’s Lawsuit Against Palm Coast Over Town Center Utilities
Circuit Judge Sandra Upchurch has scheduled a two-week trial for November 16 regarding a lawsuit filed by Palm Coast Holdings against the city. The developer alleges that utility service uncertainties caused significant land sale losses. While the city defends its capacity and infrastructure investments, the court will hear motions to dismiss and amended complaints this March.
Judge Rejects Defense Witness Testimony on Victim Credibility Ahead of Henriqson Trial on Capital Rape Charges
Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols denied Kristopher Henriqson’s request for a sixty-day trial delay, though she remains open to a postponement if he secures a medical expert. Henriqson, representing himself against capital charges, seeks to prove a discredited theory regarding physical evidence. The court also ruled that defense witnesses cannot offer opinions on the victim’s truthfulness, citing strict evidentiary rules, a further blow to Henriqson’s defense. He goes on trial on capital rape charges next week.
Defiant Ex-Flagler Paramedic James Melady Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison, Calling Rape Conviction ‘Malicious’
Former Flagler County paramedic James Melady was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the 2021 sexual battery of an incapacitated patient. Melady remained unrepentant, labeling his conviction a threat to the paramedic profession. The victim, who discovered the assault years later through video evidence, detailed the devastating trauma that followed, including a miscarriage and mental health relapse. Despite clear evidence of the victim’s helplessness, the jury’s verdict on a lesser charge limited Melady’s maximum sentence.
Former Palm Coast Resident, 56, Pleads in Fatal Dog Choking Case and Could Avoid Prison
Howard T. Blair pleaded guilty to third-degree felony animal cruelty after fatally choking his dog, Nutmeg, last year. His sentencing points do not mandate prison, but don;t exclude it, either. Dozens of letters to the court demanding a harsh sentence. Blair, currently recovering from a motorcycle accident, will return to the Flagler County courthouse for sentencing on March 4.
Judge Bars Coastal Family Church Services at Flagler Square, Citing Covenants; Liberty Counsel Appeals
Coastal Family Church is appealing a court injunction that prohibits it from holding services at its Flagler Beach location, in the former Badcock Furniture store. Liberty Counsel argues the ban violates First Amendment rights. But Circuit Judge Sandra Upchurch ruled that private property covenants explicitly prohibit large public assemblies. Flagler Square owners claim a church would overwhelm parking and diminish retail value. The court suggests Flagler Square will likely prevail based on established contract and property law.
Palm Coast Sex Offender Rejects Plea Deal and Seeks Trial in New Child Abuse Imagery Case
Gary Durso, a 62-year-old registered sex offender from Palm Coast, has rejected an 18-month plea deal and will head to trial in March. Facing five years in prison, Durso maintains his innocence regarding a single illicit image uploaded to Flickr. Though he admits to downloading the file via Craigslist contacts, he claims he was targeted by unknown individuals.
3 Weeks Before Rape Trial, Henriqson Wanted DNA Evidence Suppressed and Witness Tampering Investigation
Kristopher Henriqson, representing himself against 11 felony rape and molestation charges, appeared in court to argue for the suppression and rewriting of DNA evidence. Henriqson claims the FDLE’s “sperm cell fraction” labeling is prejudicial and misleading, suggesting transfer DNA was mischaracterized as semen. The judge denied his requests to rewrite reports or initiate a witness tampering investigation regarding a secret recording. Henriqson remains set to represent himself when the trial begins in three weeks.
As Angel Sexton, 27, Is Sentenced to Prison, Mother Describes Family Wrecked By Sexual Assault of Her Son, 13
A Circuit Judge sentenced Palm Coast resident Angel Sexton, 27, to six years in prison followed by nine years of probation for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old relative. During the sentencing, the victim’s mother delivered a long statement describing the profound betrayal and trauma that derailed her family’s move to Florida and demolished family relationships and trust, causing psychological and physical damage. Sexton remained silent, as is common in negotiated pleas where the sentence is predetermined.
State Attorney Charges 15-Year-Old as Adult in Flagler Kidnapping and Torture Case
State Attorney R.J. Larizza has charged 15-year-old Junior Bishop as an adult following the alleged kidnapping and torture of an 11-year-old boy. Bishop faces up to 30 years for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and reckless fleeing. Darnell Hairston, the alleged kidnapper, faces up to life in prison if convicted.
6 Years in Prison for Woman, 27, Who Molested Relative, 13; Man Arrested Flashing Girl, 14, for ‘Extra Scenery’
Palm Coast resident Angel Marie Sexton has pleaded guilty to molesting a 13-year-old boy during a 2024 holiday visit. She is to be sentenced to six years in prison and nine years of sex-offender probation. In a separate R-Section incident, 22-year-old Stephen Nicholas Caputo was arrested for exposing himself to a 14-year-old girl while pleasuring himself before getting home.
10 Years Prison, 20 Years Probation for 70-Year-Old in Plea to Lesser Charge of Abusing Neighbor Girl for Years
Kermit Carl Booth, a 70-year-old former Volusia County school employee, pleaded guilty to attempted sexual battery of a child under 12. He received a 10-year prison sentence followed by 20 years of strict sex-offender probation. Booth was caught after the victim’s boyfriend, posing as the victim in text messages, extracted incriminating confessions. Upon release, Booth will be designated a sexual predator, wear a GPS monitor, and must reimburse the county for his extradition costs.
70-Year-Old Homeless Man Accused of Minor’s Rape in Tent Near Palm Harbor Circle K Will Serve 6 Years in Prison
Jose Valerio-Rodriguez, 70, was sentenced to six years in prison followed by nine years of probation after pleading no contest to sexually abusing a 16-year-old girl in his tent behind the Circle K on Palm Harbor Parkway. By accepting a plea deal, Valerio-Rodriguez avoided a potential life sentence and a trial scheduled for next week. Upon completing his five remaining years of incarceration, the undocumented migrant faces likely deportation. The prosecution’s case included recorded confessions and evidence of the defendant grooming the victim.
Web Surfing for Hookups with Sex Offenders While on Probation Sends Former Scientist George Proulx Back to Prison
Former Palm Coast resident George Proulx has been sentenced to an additional four years in prison following a violation of his sex offender probation. Released in 2024 after serving four years for abusing four adolescents, Proulx was caught accessing the internet and tracking female sex offenders. Despite a potential 45-year maximum sentence for the violation, a negotiated plea deal will see him released at age 76 with no further probation, provided he continues registering as an offender.
Builders and Palm Coast Trade Legal Blows in Battle Over Impact Fees Ahead of February Court Hearings
The legal battle between the Flagler Home Builders Association and Palm Coast over impact fee hikes produced dueling motions before the holidays. The City moved to dismiss the case on Dec. 5. The Builders filed for summary judgment on Dec. 15, arguing the fees are unconstitutional and unjustified. A judge will hear arguments on the city’s motion on Feb. 2 and the homebuilders’ motions on Feb. 17.
Jury Trials, a Critical Part of Democracy, Are Disappearing
in a change with profound implications, juries now decide only a tiny fraction of criminal and civil cases in the U.S. The decline over time has been dramatic, triggering warnings from scholars since at least the 1920s. In 1962, when federal judicial statistics became reliable enough to track the trend, juries decided about 6% of civil cases; today that share is less then 1%.
Supreme Court Rejects Attorney General’s Proposal to Let Some Lawyers Practice Without Bar Admission
The Florida Supreme Court on Monday unanimously rejected a proposal by Attorney General James Uthmeier that would have allowed certain state government lawyers to practice in Florida for up to three years without taking the Florida Bar exam.
Palm Coast Moves to Dismiss Town Center Development Lawsuit, Citing ‘Fundamental Misunderstanding’ of Utility Rules
Palm Coast government has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit from Palm Coast Holdings regarding Town Center utility guarantees. The developer claims the city breached its contract by failing to guarantee water and sewer capacity, resulting in lost land sales. The city argues that development orders are conditional regulatory approvals, not absolute contracts. The city says no breach occurred because no permits were actually denied, characterizing the developer’s claims as speculative.
Longtime Homicide Prosecutor Mark Johnson Appointed to Putnam Judgeship, ‘Bittersweet’ Loss to State Attorney’s Office
After 17 years as a prosecutor in the Seventh Judicial Circuit, Mark Johnson has been appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis as a County Judge for Putnam County. Known for his cerebral style and successful partnership with fellow prosecutor Jason Lewis on high-profile homicide cases, Johnson’s departure is a significant loss for State Attorney R.J. Larizza’s office. Johnson will preside over misdemeanors and civil disputes in Putnam, with his investiture expected next year.
Palm Coast’s Gregory Smith, 45, Is Sentenced to 30 Years for Years-Long Sexual Abuse of Stepdaughter
Former Palm Coast resident Gregory Smith, 45, was sentenced to 30 years in prison today after pleading guilty to eight felonies involving the repeated rape of his ex-wife’s adolescent daughter. Facing a potential life sentence if convicted at trial, Smith hesitated during the hearing but ultimately accepted the plea deal. The victim was in the courtroom.
CAIR-Florida, the Muslim Civil Rights Organization, Sues DeSantis Over Defamatory ‘Terrorist’ Designation
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil-rights organization, has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order issued last week designating the group as a “terrorist organization.” CAIR is asking the court to block the executive order and declare it unconstitutional.
Henriqson Finds Court Is Not His Castle as He Stumbles Through Self-Representation in Child Rape Case
Facing capital sexual battery charges, Kristopher Henriqson has fired his public defender to represent himself, a decision that faltered during a recent pre-trial hearing. Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols denied the majority of Henriqson’s motions, including requests to change the venue, admit an illegal recording, and rewrite DNA reports he fundamentally misunderstood. While Henriqson secured minor procedural victories, the judge warned that without a public defender, he alone bears the logistical and financial burden of his defense.
Facing Capital Charges for Raping Stepchild, Henriqson Wants ‘Intact Hymen’ Defense and Secret Recording Admitted
Kristopher Henriqson, representing himself against capital child rape charges, has filed motions requesting a gynecological exam of the victim and a change of venue. Henriqson claims the victim bears no physical signs of assaults and seeks to introduce a secret recording of the girl discussing lying—evidence the state argues is inadmissible wiretapping. Prosecutors also cite privacy laws against the medical exam. A hearing is set for Monday before Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols.
Analysis: In Melady Trial, an Evidence-Defying Verdict That Ignored Overwhelming Proof of Victim’s Incapacity
The jury found Melady, the former Flagler County Fire Rescue paramedic, guilty of sexual battery, or rape, a lesser charge than the one he faced, rape of an incapacitated person. To reach that conclusion, the jury had to conclude that the victim was not incapacitated, even though that was the one fact the defense, the prosecution and Melady himself agreed on, and that the defense relied on to argue that Melady had to invasively conduct a pelvic exam to figure out why she was incapacitated. The jury’s conclusion was demonstrably false.
Jury Finds Ex-Flagler Paramedic Melady Guilty of Rape of Unconscious Woman in Ambulance
A jury of four women and two men today found Melady, a paramedic with Flagler County Fire Rescue from 2018 to 2024, guilty of rape of an unconscious woman he was responsible for in the back of an ambulance three years ago. The jury acquitted Melady of video voyeurism. He had recorded the incident, moving the camera a few times for better views of the woman’s privates, and preserved the video on his laptop. He faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced early next year.
Defending Pelvic Exam, Ex-Flagler Paramedic Melady Tells Jury What It Saw and Heard Isn’t What It Saw and Heard
Former paramedic James Melady testified that a video showing him performing a pelvic exam on an unconscious woman and smelling his fingers was misinterpreted by the prosecution. Melady claimed the exam was medically necessary—contradicting expert testimony—and that his prior police admissions were Ambien-induced hallucinations. With the defense arguing that the video is misleading, the jury must decide Wednesday if Melady’s account outweighs the visual evidence of sexual battery.
Flagler Detective Coma Rapidly Cleared of Fleeing Charge After Speeding Incident; Still Faces Ticket and Internal Investigation
The State Attorney’s Office has dropped the felony fleeing and eluding charge against Flagler County Sheriff’s Detective Ardit Coma. Arrested for speeding 88 mph in a 55 zone, Coma claimed he didn’t see police lights due to loud music and sun glare, believing he was stopping to assist officers deploying stop sticks. Reinstatement is underway, but Coma still faces a speeding citation and an internal affairs investigation regarding departmental policy violations.
‘Doing His Job’ or Rape? Starkly Opposing Narratives Open Ex-Flagler Paramedic James Melady’s Trial
Former Flagler paramedic James Melady’s trial began today for allegedly raping an unconscious patient in an ambulance in 2021. Video evidence Melady himself took on his phone and kept on his laptop shows him sexually penetrating the woman. The defense contends Melady was performing a medically necessary pelvic exam after the patient failed to respond to Narcan, arguing the video was recorded for his protection. The jury must decide if the act was a crime or medical necessity.
Flagler County Paramedic, Step-Father and Homeless Man All Facing Grave Sex Charges and Life Terms Set for Trials
Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols this morning scheduled three men for trials on unrelated sex-assault charges after each man declined to plead out, opting instead to risk facing 55 years to life in prison if convicted. The men are former Flagler County Fire Rescue paramedic James Melady, whose alleged victim was a patient he is accused of raping in an ambulance; Kristopher Henriqson, who is accused of raping his prepubescent stepdaughter for years; and Jose Valerio-Rodriguez, a homeless man accused of statutorily raping a minor.
Florida Supreme Court Calls for 25 More Judges, One in 7th Judicial Circuit
Gov. Ron DeSantis may get a chance to appoint up to 25 additional judges in his final year in office if the Florida Legislature goes along with a new request from the state Supreme Court. DeSantis has repeatedly boasted about his efforts to reshape Florida’s judicial branch, including the state Supreme Court. Five of the seven justices on the court were appointed by the Republican governor. The court has made several crucial rulings including one that undid its previous decisions on the right to abortion.
Facing Identical Charges for Gun Burglaries, 17-Year-Old Held on $190,000 Bond, Brother, 18, Posts $60,000 Bond
A 16-year-old boy arrested with his 18-year-old brother and two other young adults in connection with a spree of burglaries and the theft of several guns in West Flagler last August has been charged as an adult and faces five counts punishable by life in prison. Like his co-defendants, he now faces 12 felony charges in all. His bond was set at $190,000. His 18-year-old brother, who faces identical charges, posted bond set at $60,000 in Suwanee County, and a third defendant has a $120,000 bond, also in a different county. One circuit’s bond schedule has no control over another’s.
Judge Sets Jan. 21 Pretrial in Leigha Mumby Vehicular Homicide Death of Daniel Waterman
In Leigha Mumby’s first pretrial appearance since she was charged with vehicular homicide in the death of her former boyfriend, a judge today set Jan. 21 as the next pretrial, granting the defense’s request for a 60-day extension to go over new discovery in the case. Daniel Waterman, 22, died in October.
Facing Life in Prison, Man Wants to Represent Himself and Depose Step-Daughter Accusing Him of Rape
Kristopher Henriqson is a 47-year-old state and federal felon and Palm Coast resident facing accusations of having routinely raped and abused his stepdaughter since she was 9. He has turned down a deal to serve 45 years. He faces 11 felonies, including two capital felonies, and life in prison if convicted. Today, a judge granted his request to represent himself, and has indicated he wants to depose his allege victim, now 12. He would also have the right to cross-examine her at trial.
Leigha Mumby Rearrested on Vehicular Homicide Charge in Death of Daniel Waterman, and Released on $150,000 Bond
Leigha Mumby, the 24-year-old Flagler Beach woman accused of causing the death of her boyfriend and father of her child, Daniel Waterman, in a car crash last February, turned herself in at the Flagler County jail the afternoon of Oct. 29, after a warrant was issued for her rearrest.