Live Oak Man Charged in Series of Violent Home Invasions and Robberies

Demoundre Jahtavin Evans, 24, has been arrested and charged with 20 felonies related to a string of violent crimes targeting convenience store employees and owners. Evans’ arrest follows a series of home invasion robberies, kidnappings, and armed assaults in the Alachua County area. The charges stem from incidents that occurred between January 15 and January 30, 2024.

The case began on January 15 when Evans and two accomplices allegedly assaulted an employee at a Chevron station on SE Hawthorne Road. The victim was beaten and robbed of $6,600 in store deposits and personal belongings. Days later, the same victim reported a disturbing encounter at his home, where masked individuals, believed to be the same robbers, knocked on his door, claiming to be from the sheriff’s office. The victim, feeling uneasy, did not answer but saw the suspects on surveillance video.

Investigators used traffic camera footage to link the suspects to a vehicle previously cited in Hamilton County. Further surveillance captured the vehicle at other crime scenes, including the Circle K store on Waldo Road and an attempted break-in at the victim’s home. The vehicle’s link to the suspects led to the identification of Evans and his co-defendants.

On January 26, the defendants committed another violent crime, this time at a Food Max store. They followed two employees to their apartment, forcibly entered, and held the family, including three young children, at gunpoint. The suspects demanded money and stole approximately $10,000 in store deposits, as well as cash and personal items from the victims. They disabled the victims’ phones to prevent calls for help.

The series of crimes escalated with an attempted break-in and shooting at the victim’s residence on January 30. Video surveillance confirmed the involvement of Evans and his co-defendants, Calvin Souter and Jeremiah Gibson. Gibson later confessed to the crimes and identified Evans and Souter in a photo lineup.

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Following the confession and further investigation, police found the victim’s wallet, containing Evans’ driver’s license, in the suspects’ vehicle. Evans faces multiple charges, including kidnapping, home invasion robbery, armed burglary, and aggravated battery. Despite having no prior criminal convictions, Evans is currently held without bail, pending a court hearing to determine if he will be held without bail until trial. For more information on this case, visit Alachua Chronicle.