Federal Felon and 2 Teens Arrested in Armed Home Invasion-Robbery on Palm Coast’s Prospect Lane

Dupree is in federal probation in Missouri on drug and weapons charges. One of the residents in the house managed to dial 911 and did not say anything, but left the line open–a knowing move that immediately alerted authorities to investigate the origin of the call: deputies arrived at the property just as the silver Chevy carrying the alleged assailants was speeding off. Several patrol vehicles followed until the Chevy crashed at Palm Coast Parkway and Colbert Lane, from where several men fled.

It took almost four hours, but deputies found and arrested three of the four suspects at 3:40 a.m. A K-9 bit one of the assailants. The fourth is still at large.

“At this time, we do not believe this was a random attack and likely involves other criminal activity, like most home invasions do,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “Our patrol deputies did a great job quickly apprehending three of the suspects. The investigation is ongoing to determine the motive for the crime and investigators are also working to identify the fourth suspect. If anyone has any information on this case, please call us or Crimestoppers.”

Edited body cam footage shows deputies and two search dogs locating three of the alleged assailants in brush, in two locations.




The alleged victims in the house were three women, ages 20, 20 and 47, two men, 22 and 23, and two boys, 16 and 17.

Two of the victims told Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies that around midnight the night of Dec. 12 to 13 four men armed with handguns invaded her home from the back of the residence. Another victim put the number of assailants at three. (Video surveillance confirmed there were four.) Yet another victim who’d been on the back porch when the assailants arrived said one of them pistol-whipped him before going in. He stayed outside during the home invasion. He reported his wallet and an iPhone stolen.

One of the men was older than the rest. Either he or one of the others ordered the woman resident to get on the ground or “we’re going to kill you.” A friend had been visiting one of the residents. He ran out the front door, while the son of the homeowner managed to jump out of a bedroom window, only to hear one of the assailants yell out to “get that nagga.” A man with a gun caught up with him and dragged him back.

The arrest report heavily censors the names of the victims, in accordance with Marcy’s Law (which provides identity protection to victims of crime), making it difficult to precisely determine what victim was being attacked. Two of the intruders dragged the woman’s son into a bedroom and proceeded to kick him while he was on the ground. Many blows landed on his head. One of the assailants then ordered him to “gimmie all your shit.” The assailant located a safe, ordered it opened, and took $1,300 in cash.

Another intruder kicked another victim in the living room, repeatedly striking him with a chair and demanding to know “where it at?” The man on the ground told him “it’s in the black car out front.” The assailant asked him what was there, the man said he didn’t know. “I ain’t playing I’m fixing to pull this trigger,” the attacker then said, according to an arrest report, removing between $300 and $400 from the man’s pockets.

One of the victims would later tell deputies that he was just trying to get the men out of the house. There was a lot of activity, making it hard to keep track of, the woman told deputies. As the assailants were leaving–“man, we gotta go,” one of them yelled–she heard a gunshot in the foyer. The bullet ended up in the ceiling.

Much of the violence and thefts were captured on a home video surveillance system and a doorbell camera.

One gun was found in the Chevy. A “Ruger LCP chambered in 380 acp” and a “Glock model 35 chambered in .40sw” were located in the bushes along the path Jones, Watts and Dupree took as they fled from law enforcement, along with masks and a gallon-size Ziplock bag containing pot.




Dupree faces charges of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, False Imprisonment, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Home Invasion Robbery, Wearing a Mask While Committing a Felony, Resisting Arrest, and Violation of Probation. Bond was set at $250,000 for the charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, false imprisonment, aggravated assault and wearing a mask while committing a felony, but he has no bond on the charges of home invasion and probation violation.

Jones and Watts were each arrested and charged with False Imprisonment, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Aggravated
Battery with a Deadly Weapon, Home Invasion Robbery, Wearing a Mask While Committing a Felony and Resisting Arrest. All three were booked at the county jail. The two juveniles were turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice. (FlaglerLive does not normally publish the names of juveniles facing charges. Exceptions are made based on the violence of the alleged crimes and the involvement of firearms.)

This is an ongoing investigation. If you have information that could assist this investigation, call Crimestoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477). You could be eligible for a reward up to $5,000.