On October 4, 2021, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the Leesburg area in reference to a shooting.
Deputies located the adult male victim in the driveway of a residence, deceased with a gunshot wound to the chest.
The victim was in a relationship with a female, and after they broke up, the victim saw a social media post of the female and a new male together. The defendant, Willie Washington, and the victim responded to the female’s residence, where Willie Washington admitted he acted as the lookout. Washington attempted to assist the victim with gaining access by kicking in the front door to the residence but was unsuccessful. The victim then broke a window to the residence, causing the male inside the residence to arm himself with a firearm and fire rounds, killing the victim. Willie Washington, the lookout, dragged the victim to the end of the driveway when he observed the victim was no longer breathing and left him at the scene. Washington also took the victim’s firearm and vehicle into his possession prior to fleeing the scene.
On September 9, 2024, the defendant pled guilty and was sentenced to 24 years to the Department of Corrections for his involvement in the commission of the burglary that led to the death of the victim. The defendant also had a history of committing burglaries and a criminal history. The defendant was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, tampering with evidence, and 2nd-degree felony murder. This conviction was the result of the diligent efforts made by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit and Assistant State Attorney Kenneth Nunnelley.
