Victim in fatal Walmart stabbing blurted out suspect's name before dying

Suspect was fired for making derogatory remarks, deputies say

ORLANDO, Fla. – A man who was fatally stabbed by a fired former employee he used to supervise at a Walmart Neighborhood Market blurted out the suspect's multiple times while lying barely conscious in the store's parking lot, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Davon Brown, 25, died at Florida Hospital South at 9:25 a.m. Wednesday, about 30 minutes after the stabbing.

A new employee, who had just started working at the Walmart Neighborhood Market gas station that day, told authorities that he heard a scream while he was in the bathroom and came out to find a man, later identified as Caswayne Williams, 23, attacking Brown, according to an arrest affidavit.

The employee saw Williams stab Brown multiple times, deputies said. The attack was also caught on surveillance video.

Deputies said that video showed Williams arrive at the gas station on a bicycle, grab Brown from behind once inside and then wrestle with the victim before stabbing him multiple times. Brown broke free and tried to make it the door, but Williams continued the attack through the door and onto the sidewalk, the report said.

Williams delivered his final jabs as Brown was lying on the ground then fled the scene on foot, officials said.

[WEB EXTRA: Cops overwhelmed by excessive calls to Walmart]

A Walmart personnel manager found Brown wounded in the parking lot and tried to comfort him until first responders arrived. Brown blurted out the name "Caswayne," at least three times, including once when the witness asked who attacked him, officials said.

A separate Walmart manager told investigators that Williams was recently fired from the grocery store, which has been open for about a month, because of "racial, sexual orientation and derogatory remarks" toward Brown, who was his supervisor.

Deputies found Williams at 10:20 a.m. at West Fairbanks Avenue and South Wymore Road, about a mile away from the scene. 

Williams denied stabbing Brown until confronted with video evidence, then he admitted to bringing a folding knife into the gas station, the report said. 

He claimed the attack began after Brown made unwanted sexual advances toward him. He also told deputies that Brown was to blame for him being fired from the store, and he thought the victim was following him and watching him, according to the affidavit.

A witness shared a photograph with News 6 she claims shows Williams in the minutes leading up to the murder.

Erika Carmona said she knew Williams from visiting the gas station, and he stood near the front door of the business where she works for more than half an hour in the minutes leading up to the stabbing.

"He stood out of my business for about 45 minutes staking out the place. Me not knowing that this was going to happen, I actually caught footage of it on my camera of him staking out the place," Carmona said.

Carmona said Williams peeked his head around the corner, staking out the gas station. She said she took the picture to text her boss, to ask if she should call police, since he stood there for an extended length of time.

Carmona said Williams stood in front of the business next to the gas station until about 8:50 a.m.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office said they responded to the stabbing at 8:53 a.m.

Carmona said while Williams was standing in the parking lot, she was already waiting for an officer to arrive after calling in a vehicle illegally parked. Carmona questions if the murder could have been prevented if the officer would have arrived soon to that call.

A family member said that Williams had recently moved to Florida after becoming homeless in New Jersey in November.

Family said that Williams got hired at the Walmart gas station on Lee Road soon after arriving to Florida. Williams moved to the United States from Jamaica when he was a child.

Recently, the loved one said there had been a concern that Williams was not taking his medication. The family described his behavior as disconnected, lacking eye contact and depressed.

Robert Wesley, Williams' public defender, said it's too early to determine anything about his client's state of mind and whether a mental evaluation will be needed.

Brown's aunt said Williams had been giving her nephew trouble and she believes the stabbing was an act of revenge. 

"(Brown) said (Williams) would always talk trash to him. You know, curse at him? He was mean to him, and didn't want to listen," Sabrina Jones said. "He called me and said (Williams had) gotten fire. I said, 'Davon, just watch your surroundings. You never know what a person might do.'"

Williams is charged with first degree murder.

Several violent crimes have been reported at Central Florida Walmart stores so far this year, including the shooting death of Lt. Debra Clayton. Below is a look at some of those recent incidents:

Witness describes moments after OPD officer was fatally shot outside Walmart

Ex-employee fatally stabs current employee at Walmart, deputies say

Deputies shoot man armed with ax, knife outside Walmart

Suspect ID'd in police-involved shooting at Orlando Walmart

Suspected diaper thief dead after shooting at Walmart, deputies say

Woman accused of getting drunk inside Walmart, grabbing EMTs crotch

Man crawls through mud while fleeing Walmart fight, police say


About the Authors:

Troy graduated from California State University Northridge with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication. He has reported on Mexican drug cartel violence on the El Paso/ Juarez border, nuclear testing facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory and severe Winter weather in Michigan.