Titusville, Florida – The trial for the first-degree murder of Rickie Gilbert is set to begin, more than four years after his shocking and tragic death. Gilbert was fatally wounded while driving into the crossfire of a shootout between rival groups in Titusville. The incident not only devastated Gilbert’s friends and family but also sparked protests against gun violence in the community.
Quantay Demaurie Byrom, a 25-year-old defendant in the case, will face jury selection starting Monday. Prosecutors will present evidence and call witnesses to testify before Brevard Circuit Judge Charlie Crawford at the Moore Justice Center in Viera. Byrom faces the possibility of life in state prison if convicted in connection with Gilbert’s death.
According to police reports and surveillance footage, the shootout occurred on February 25, 2020, when Byrom’s Hyundai Sonata and another group in a Nissan Altima exchanged gunfire on the streets of Titusville. Rickie Gilbert happened to be driving to St. James AME Church, less than a mile away, when he was tragically hit. An unidentified teenager was also wounded in the incident but did not sustain life-threatening injuries.
After a thorough investigation and witness interviews, Byrom was arrested on April 2, 2020. He later told detectives that he did not know how the shooting happened and asked for his mother. Byrom’s defense attorney maintains his client’s innocence in the case, expressing confidence that the trial will proceed as scheduled.
The incident, caught on video, involved multiple shots fired between the rival groups along residential streets. Witnesses reported hearing more than a dozen gunshots, and police quickly arrived at the scene to find numerous spent shell casings. Two bullets pierced Gilbert’s windshield, striking him in the forehead. Gilbert’s car veered off the road and collided with a nearby tree. Church members who learned of the shooting rushed to the scene in a state of shock.
Byrom was identified as one of the potential participants in the shooting. During questioning, he admitted to driving one of the cars seen that day, but claimed he had picked up the shooter earlier and purchased marijuana before the gunfire erupted. Byrom was indicted by a grand jury on a first-degree murder charge in September 2020 and has been held without bond at the Brevard County Jail Complex in Sharpes.
The trial will provide an opportunity for prosecutors to present their case and for Byrom’s defense attorney to challenge the allegations. The community remains deeply affected by the tragic death of Rickie Gilbert and the underlying issue of gun violence. The trial will shed further light on the circumstances surrounding the incident and may bring closure to Gilbert’s loved ones.