Around midnight on September 29, 1983, Gregory Alan Kokal and William O’Kelly picked up a hitchhiker, victim Jeffrey Russell. They then drove to a Jacksonville Beach park. When they exited the car, Russell was attacked and beaten with Kokal’s pool cue before he was robbed.
Russell was forced to walk approximately 100 feet where he pled for his life as he was beaten unconscious with the pool cue then fatally shot.
His body was discovered the following day, and the police initially reported that the victim had been beaten to death. During the autopsy, it was determined that the gunshot killed the victim. The fact the gunshot was the cause of death was restricted to the investigating officers.
Kokal was apprehended the following morning by police after he fled a gas station without paying in O’Kelly’s truck. When the police officer asked Kokal for identification, he produced O’Kelly’s Colorado license, the victim’s New York license, and an Arizona vehicle registration in O’Kelly’s name, in addition to his own Florida license.
The officer arrested Kokal for the gasoline theft and the truck was seized and inventoried. When the truck was inventoried, the murder weapon and a box of shells were found bearing Kokal’s fingerprints. Kokal was released, however, because the officer was not aware of his involvement in the murder.
Later that same day, Kokal told a friend about the robbery and murder, including details only known to the police, such as the fatal gunshot. Kokal was arrested after a warrant was issued for his capture.
Russell was forced to walk approximately 100 feet where he pled for his life as he was beaten unconscious with the pool cue then fatally shot.
His body was discovered the following day, and the police initially reported that the victim had been beaten to death. During the autopsy, it was determined that the gunshot killed the victim. The fact the gunshot was the cause of death was restricted to the investigating officers.
Kokal was apprehended the following morning by police after he fled a gas station without paying in O’Kelly’s truck. When the police officer asked Kokal for identification, he produced O’Kelly’s Colorado license, the victim’s New York license, and an Arizona vehicle registration in O’Kelly’s name, in addition to his own Florida license.
The officer arrested Kokal for the gasoline theft and the truck was seized and inventoried. When the truck was inventoried, the murder weapon and a box of shells were found bearing Kokal’s fingerprints. Kokal was released, however, because the officer was not aware of his involvement in the murder.
Later that same day, Kokal told a friend about the robbery and murder, including details only known to the police, such as the fatal gunshot. Kokal was arrested after a warrant was issued for his capture.
