Demetrius Alpha Omega Murray, a 33-year-old resident of Tallahassee, has pleaded guilty in federal court to six counts of interstate communication of threats to injure children. The charges stem from incidents that led to the lockdown of three schools in the Tallahassee area. The announcement was made by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin stated: “This defendant’s heinous, violent threats directed toward innocent children are despicable and I am very proud of the swift, aggressive prosecution by my office to hold him accountable for his criminal threats. Keeping our kids safe from violent predators, like this defendant, will always be a top priority for my office.”
According to court records, on November 14, 2025, Murray contacted representatives of a California law firm that was attempting to collect on his defaulted business loan. During several phone calls and emails with the firm, Murray threatened to carry out a school shooting if collection efforts continued. His threats specifically targeted students at Kate Sullivan Elementary School and were accompanied by a video he recorded while parked beside the school’s playground. In the video, Murray directed threats toward children playing nearby and displayed a 9-millimeter handgun.
The threats were promptly reported to local law enforcement agencies including the Tallahassee Police Department and Leon County Sheriff’s Office. As a result, Kate Sullivan Elementary School as well as nearby Cobb Middle School and Leon High School were placed on lockdown. Investigators located Murray in Gadsden County where he was taken into custody by the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office. He admitted making both telephonic and email threats and directed officers to where they could find the handgun shown in his video. Authorities recovered the weapon, confirming it matched what was seen in his recording.
Murray is scheduled for sentencing before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle on April 16, 2026, at 2:00pm in Tallahassee. Each count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The investigation involved cooperation between multiple law enforcement agencies: the Tallahassee Police Department, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Eric K Mountin is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, an initiative led by the Department of Justice that focuses on combating illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protecting communities from violent crime as well as human and drug trafficking.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 such offices nationwide that act as principal litigators under guidance from the Attorney General. Additional information about their work can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
