State Attorney, Florida's 7th Circuit

09/14/2026

Congratulations to 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐥, 𝐚 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞!

Savercool was honored on Thursday during Crime Stoppers of North East Florida's Annual Award Banquet at Daytona International Speedway. Several of our staff, along with Savercool's mother and daughter, attended to show their support.

Investigator Savercool has served Volusia County as a dedicated law enforcement officer for 35 years. Since joining the Seventh Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office nearly 10 years ago, he has been an invaluable member of our team. As part of our Career Criminal Unit in DeLand, he works closely with prosecutors to investigate and prepare cases for trial.

Over the past year, his investigative work helped secure numerous convictions and lengthy prison sentences involving violent crimes against children, homicide, aggravated battery and more. Investigator Savercool has also ensured that the right people are held accountable.

In one particularly complex triple-fatality crash investigation, his thorough review of evidence and interviews helped uncover that the person originally arrested was not responsible. Investigator Savercool's efforts ultimately helped investigators identify and arrest the defendant truly responsible for the deadly crash.

He also played a key role in two significant child abuse prosecutions. His investigative work helped secure a life sentence for a father who s*xually abused his two young daughters over several years, as well as a 60-year prison sentence and permanent loss of parental rights for a mother who severely abused and neglected her three children.

Beyond his exceptional investigative abilities, Investigator Savercool is recognized for his willingness to assist not only prosecutors within his own office, but also local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and State Attorney's Offices throughout Florida. He has earned a reputation as a trusted resource who can be relied upon to step into complex investigations, collaborate across agencies and help develop successful prosecutions.

We are proud to celebrate Investigator Savercool on his decades of dedicated service and commitment to making justice a reality.

09/14/2026

New school year. New student voices. New episode!

The Real Talk: Safety & Success podcast is back 🎙️ Flagler Schools kicked things off with an important conversation on digital footprints.

We filmed the episode last week and are excited to release it soon. Stay tuned!

09/11/2026

The Office of State Attorney R.J. Larizza joins the nation in remembering the lives lost and forever changed 25 years ago.

We honor the victims, their families and the first responders who showed extraordinary courage and sacrifice.

We will never forget.

09/10/2026

𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐊𝐈𝐃𝐍𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆, 𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝟏𝟏-𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑-𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐎𝐘

During a hearing on Wednesday, defendant Darnell Hairston was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He entered no contest pleas last month to Armed Kidnap Inflict Bodily Harm/Terrorize Victim, Aggravated Child Abuse, Battery by Strangulation, Robbery with a Deadly Weapon and Resisting an Officer Without Violence.

On Dec. 31, 2025, Hairston was pulled over on U.S. 1 after a caller reported to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office that they had seen the defendant, who they knew to be a s*x offender, traveling with two young boys.

The 11-year-old boy in the vehicle had been reported missing from St. Johns County and was immediately rescued by deputies and taken to the hospital. Hairston ran away from the scene but was quickly arrested.

Detectives learned that Hairston, with the help of the other boy in the vehicle, 15-year-old Junior Bishop, lured the 11-year-old boy to a campsite near Flagler Estates. Over the course of three days, Hairston and Bishop hog-tied, strangled, beat and threatened to kill the victim.

During the investigation, it was uncovered that the defendant kidnapped and tortured the victim to silence him because he had information about an unrelated s*x offense in St. Johns County.

“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙭 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙖𝙗𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙, 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣 11-𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧-𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said about the case. “𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙪𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙅𝙪𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 30 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙚.”

The case was investigated by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office. Assistant State Attorney Melissa Clark successfully prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Florida. The Honorable Dawn Nichols heard the case and pronounced sentence.

The case against Bishop, Hairston’s co-defendant, is still pending.

09/09/2026

Darnell Hairston, 61, of Hastings, who was arrested by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office in December 2025 and later charged with kidnapping and harming an 11-year-old boy, has been convicted and sentenced.

On Aug. 19, Hairston pleaded no contest to kidnapping – inflicting bodily harm, aggravated child abuse, battery by strangulation, robbery with a deadly weapon, and resisting an officer without violence. At a sentencing hearing on Sept. 9, Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols found him guilty on each count and sentenced him to 30 years in state prison.

“This was one of the most successful ‘See Something, Say Something’ cases we’ve ever had — it led to the recovery of a missing child and the next three decades behind bars for the s*x offender that was responsible. Of course, we’re still waiting for complete closure, as his co-conspirator’s case is still ongoing, but this is an important first step,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “I commend the heroic citizen who saw something suspicious and reported it, everyone on our team who contributed during this investigation, and our partners at the State Attorney, Florida's 7th Circuit who prosecuted this case to ensure this monster got the prison sentence he deserved.”

Hairston is being held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he has been held without bond since his arrest. He is awaiting transfer to Florida Department of Corrections custody.

Sixteen-year-old Junior Bishop, who detectives determined was Hairston’s co-conspirator in the kidnapping, is still awaiting trial. He is being charged as an adult and faces charges of principle to armed kidnapping, aggravated fleeing and eluding, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, grand theft of a motor vehicle, reckless driving, driving without a license, and resisting an officer without violence.

09/09/2026

All of our offices (in Bunnell, Daytona Beach, DeLand, Palatka and St. Augustine) will also be closed on Friday, Sept. 11, in observance of Rosh Hashanah.

Courthouses in Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia counties will be closed Friday, Sept. 11, in observance of Rosh Hashanah. Regular operations will resume Monday, Sept. 14.

09/01/2026

All of our offices (in Bunnell, Daytona Beach, DeLand, Palatka and St. Augustine) will also be closed on Monday, Sept. 7, in observance of Labor Day.

Courthouses in Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia counties will be closed Monday, Sept. 7, for Labor Day. Regular operations will resume Tuesday, Sept. 8.

08/31/2026

𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐔𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐂 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄𝐅 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃 𝐒𝐄𝐗𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐔𝐓𝐍𝐀𝐌 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐘

After a two-day trial, a Putnam County jury found defendant Murrel Liverman Jr. guilty as charged of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation on victim less than 12 years of age.

Murrel, a former Marion County Fire Rescue Paramedic Chief who completed the police academy, was arrested on the child s*xual abuse charge while applying to become a deputy at the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.

The case was investigated by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. Assistant State Attorneys Deborah Rothenberg and Alexander Gilewicz successfully tried the case on behalf of the State of Florida. The Honorable Alicia Washington heard the case and is set to impose sentence on October 29, 2026. Liverman faces 25 years up to life in prison for the conviction.

08/31/2026

Listen up! State Attorney R.J. Larizza has a message every parent should hear as part of The Facts. Your Future. campaign.

08/28/2026

𝐕𝐎𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐍 𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐋-𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐎𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐒

During a hearing this afternoon in Volusia County, defendant Marquevis Chance was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by five years of probation. He entered an open plea in June to Aggravated Battery with a Firearm and two counts of Robbery with a Firearm.

On August 3, 2025, the defendant walked up to a 17-year-old couple at a DeBary park, struck the boy in the head with a handgun and then pointed it at his girlfriend.

After the attack, Chance forced the victims to undress, then took their clothes and left the park.

Detectives learned the assault was retaliation for an argument involving a family member of one of the victims. Chance turned himself in after he was positively identified by the boy.

The Volusia Sheriff's Office investigated the case. Assistant State Attorney Nick Kramperth successfully prosecuted the case for the State of Florida. The Honorable Karen Foxman presided over the case and pronounced sentence.