Elderly man charged with attempted homicide after shooting at deceased ex-wife’s family members
Staff report
MICANOPY, Fla. – John Morgan Webb, 81, was arrested yesterday after allegedly shooting a revolver during a confrontation with his deceased ex-wife’s family and then continuing to shoot at their car as they fled, disabling the car.
At about 12:50 p.m. on May 22, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a home in Micanopy, where three family members of the deceased owner, Webb’s ex-wife (they divorced in 1998), intended to clean the home in preparation for selling it. When they arrived, they saw Webb’s vehicle in the driveway, and one of the victims started recording a video as they entered, calling out for him.
The victims found Webb in the living room, and one victim told him he was not supposed to be at the house; Webb allegedly pulled a revolver from his front pocket and discharged a round into the ceiling. The victims turned and fled, with Webb reportedly saying, “No, don’t move. You got to die first.”
As the victims got into their vehicle and reversed down the driveway, Webb allegedly came outside and started shooting at the vehicle. The deputy reported that their vehicle was hit four times and was disabled by a shot that entered the engine through the front grille, leaving it stopped in the middle of SE CR 234. Webb allegedly drove away and was later pulled over by deputies.
Post Miranda, Webb reportedly said the victims had “harassed” him, adding, “They come in threatening me and I fired a shot in the air, then fired some into the radiator of their car, period.”
Webb has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and three counts of attempted homicide, demonstrating a depraved mind. He has no criminal convictions, and Judge Susan Miller-Jones ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.Â
Family feud. ‘Jerry! Jerry! Jerry! Where’s Jerry Springer when you need him? RIP.
Poor old man. I wonder how heartless and mean this family must be to have provoked him in such a manner.
If they have or had a court order to do what they attempted, they should’ve or should have a deputy with them to preserve the peace.
Bingo. That was his home. If they wanted him out, they should have had to evict him…at his court date, he could have told the judge that he had a life estate there until he died. Castle doctrine.
Sounds like he has the rest of retirement covered.
Sounds like the ex-wife cleaned him out and stole his house during the divorce. Happens all the time with this family law system that is stacked against men.
He was supposed to be able to live out the rest of his life at the residence but the greedy neice inherited the property after the wifes’s death and wanted to kick him out for the money.
I bet those family Thanksgivings in years past were a hoot with him at the table. He needs to get a permanent bed at the NFETC.
He’s a veteran. A nice gentle man who loved his wife.
81 and no previous criminal convictions, kinda makes you wonder what the real story is here.
The real story ain’t been told.
I know the real story behind this.
My wife is the niece of the deceased wife and her Aunt didn’t want this happen.
Shame on the other side for doing this to him.
Carma has a way of showing up when you least expect it.
Great arguments for a civil case but irrelevant to a criminal case of shooting people if he didn’t own or rent the house – and certainly not for shooting at them as they fled down the driveway.
Its my understanding that the niece that is preparing to sell the house isn’t even on the deed yet! The estate is in probate and it is likely it wont be ALL her decision after all is said and done. Poor guy lived there for decades, I would have been scared if I heard strangers entering what I called my home too.