MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – A Marion County jury has found 49-year-old Stanley Summer Jr. guilty of premeditated first-degree murder with a firearm in the 2020 shooting death of David Vega. The verdict was delivered Wednesday afternoon following a brief deliberation, and Judge McCourt sentenced Summer to life in prison.

The case stems from a shooting that occurred on November 11, 2020, at a residence off NW 16th Place in Ocala. When officers with the Ocala Police Department arrived, they found 44-year-old David Vega lying in a pool of blood on the home’s carport floor with a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators interviewed a witness who stated she was inside the restroom when she heard a “pop” sound. She said Summer then walked through the hallway, telling her that “someone was shot outside.” The witness reported finding Vega on the ground and immediately called 911.

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Detectives reviewed footage from the home’s Blink security system, which captured Summer and Vega near the carport shortly before the shooting. Audio recordings revealed a verbal altercation between the two. Summer was not seen leaving the house again before the witness exited and found Vega on the ground.

Summer fled the scene but was later located and arrested. The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Amy Berndt and Toby Hunt.

“Justice was served today in this case with the defendant serving life for taking the life of another,” said Chief Assistant State Attorney Walter Forgie. “Our office is grateful to the jury for their service and to the law enforcement officers and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to bring this case to a just conclusion.”

The investigation was led by Ocala Police Department Detectives M. Coughlin and D. Collier.

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