According to authorities, Marquee Dashawn Williams, 23, a professed gang member, was arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) on charges of tampering with a witness in a capital felony proceeding, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation to commit murder.
OCALA, FL – On Saturday, February 26, 2022, Marquee Dashawn Williams, 23, was arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) on charges of tampering with a witness in a capital felony proceeding, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation to commit murder.
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According to authorities, in October 2021, Williams was indicted for the first-degree murder of Ronnie Damon, a former MCSO Detention Deputy. Williams, who was in the Collier County Jail at the time of his indictment was transported to the Marion County Jail and then, in December 2021, to the Department of Corrections. Following his indictment, MCSO Major Crimes Detective John Lightle began to monitor the recorded telephone calls Williams made while in custody.
While reviewing the telephone calls, Detective Lightle noticed Williams engaged in cryptic conversations in which he and other participants spoke in code. Detective Lightle was aware that Williams was a professed gang member, so he enlisted the assistance of Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) Analyst Christie Dolan to help decipher the terms used during these phone calls. Through their combined efforts, it was determined that Williams was soliciting and conspiring with others to use a network of inmates to murder another DOC inmate, who was a witness to Damon’s murder. Based upon the information uncovered during the investigation, Detective Lightle obtained a warrant for Williams’ arrest.
On February 26, 2022, Williams was transferred from the Department of Corrections to the Marion County Jail, where he was served with the warrant. He remains in the Marion County Jail and is being held without bond.