'Just Plain Meanness' Leads To Two Murders

JACKSONVILLE, FL - Homicide detectives say they have solved two murders committed on the day that came to be known as "Bloody Sunday."

22-year-old Billy Sheppard and 20-year-old Rashard Evans are described as career criminals with a history of violent crimes and felonies.

"You've got both of them being charged with two different murders and a carjacking just in that one probably five-hour period" said JSO Homicide Lieutenant Patrick Ivey.

"Physical evidence including bullet casings and witness statements linked both murder scenes."

Early on the morning of July 20th, a Sunday, 39-year-old Patrick Stafford was gunned down on a relative's front yard on Academy Street in Northwest Jacksonville.

Police say a few hours later, a driver was carjacked at the nearby Prime Stop Food Mart at Tyler and Beaver Streets. Lieutenant Ivey told First Coast News that stolen car was later used in the drive-by shooting of 16-year-old Monquell Wimberly as he rode his bike along King Street.

All three crimes were committed in the same neighborhood -- just a mile from the home of suspects Sheppard and Evans.

"Both Evans and Sheppard have lengthy criminal histories which include some violent felonies," said Lieutenant Ivey.

And the homicide team that cracked these cases looked on as their Lieutenant answered our question: What was the suspects' motive?

"For lack of a better term, just plain meanness, I guess. It's amazing. In a four hour period they just went on a violent crime spree"

Both Evans and Sheppard are being held in the Duval County jail with no bond.