A 24-year-old convenience store employee has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder after authorities say he fatally shot an off-duty police officer in the Daytona Beach area.
Volusia County Sheriff's Office officials said Eduardo Labrada Machado shot 45-year-old David Jewell shortly after Labrada Machado arrived for his shift Monday afternoon at a Circle K gas station near Daytona Beach. Jewell had been a police officer with the city of Edgewater.
Labrada Machado told investigators he had been having a bad day on his drive to work and "thought about shooting" Jewell, according to the sheriff's office. Officials said Labrada Machado used a handgun he had recently purchased to shoot Jewell multiple times at close range. The firearm was recovered from a jacket in the back of Labrada Machado's vehicle.
Investigators said Labrada Machado had apparently seen Jewell in the store before and that the two had argued previously. Labrada Machado told deputies he had seen Jewell with a firearm in the past and was afraid of him, but investigators said it was not clear whether Labrada Machado knew Jewell was a police officer or had ever seen him in uniform.
Interviews with Labrada Machado's family revealed a history of mental illness and that he had experienced auditory hallucinations, family members told investigators. They said they were not aware of any homicidal threats or anti-law-enforcement statements, the sheriff's office said.
Court and jail records show Labrada Machado is a legal U.S. resident with a green card. His only prior encounter with law enforcement was in 2023, when he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge for firing guns at Tomoka State Park; adjudication was withheld, officials said. Court and jail records did not list an attorney for Labrada Machado.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said Labrada Machado was booked on a first-degree murder charge. Authorities did not immediately provide additional details about the investigation or any scheduled court appearances.
The slaying of an off-duty officer is under investigation as officials work to establish a full timeline and motive. Local law enforcement agencies typically review such incidents for possible safety, training and policy implications as they proceed with criminal and administrative inquiries.