A 17-year-old killed two young men in Florida before stealing a getaway car.
Darien Mixson was found guilty of two charges of first-degree murder, armed burglary, and grand theft auto by a jury in Duval County, according to State Attorney Melissa Nelson. Mixson now faces a minimum sentence of 40 years to life in Florida State Prison.
In the early morning hours of March 1, 2023, 17-year-old Mixson was inside the victims’ apartment, waiting for them to fall asleep before arming himself and shooting and killing both victims. Mixson then snatched one of the victims’ car keys and four weapons from the apartment. Mixson exited the residence and stole the truck sitting outside.
During the crime, the mother of one of the victims, her boyfriend, and their young kid were sleeping in the apartment’s master bedroom. The mom, startled by the gunfire, grabbed her infant and was going to jump out the bedroom window to safety.
However, as she peeked out the window, she noticed Mixson getting into her boyfriend’s car and driving away. Her boyfriend contacted 911 and informed authorities that the suspect was in his vehicle, which he could track using his mobile.
With this information, officers were able to rapidly locate and halt the stolen vehicle. Mixson attempted to flee the authorities but was promptly apprehended with the help of a K9 unit.
Inside the stolen vehicle, officers discovered four stolen firearms, including the murder weapon. Outside the automobile, authorities discovered blood streaks on the driver’s door handle, matching one of the victims. Blood from one of the victims was discovered on Mixson’s sneaker and hoodie. Mixson interacted with one of the victims before the murder, according to evidence found on their cellphones; during that conversation, Mixson stated that he wanted a firearm.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office investigated the Florida case, which was prosecuted by assistant state attorneys Joel Cooper and Katherina Brown.









