ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Two men were found guilty on Tuesday after they invaded a family’s home in Orange County, holding five people at gunpoint, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
In a release, SAO officials said that the men — Broderick Thomas, 36, and Davonte McRae, 27 — were responsible for the armed home invasion back in September 2021.
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At the time, Thomas and McRae forced their way into a home in the Pine Hills neighborhood, trying to find money and marijuana, the release says.
According to investigators, the pair forced all of the home’s occupants into the kitchen and demanded the whereabouts of guns or cash while threatening the inhabitants with guns.
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In addition, they threatened to kill a female and her 9-month-old baby, who was in the home, SAO officials announced.
During the incident, McRae struck two victims with his firearm, nearly killing one of them, the release states.
“One male victim received massive head trauma and will have permanent brain damage for the rest of his life after McRae used a firearm to repeatedly strike him in the head after observing (the victim) using a cell phone,” the release reads.
Despite the demands of McRae and Thomas, though, none of the occupants at the home “had any association with drugs or firearms,” SAO officials added.
The pair had also coordinated their plans, using walkie-talkies to communicate during the invasion and setting up a getaway driver outside, investigators said.
However, the release shows that deputies were able to use surveillance footage in the area to identify the vehicle, eventually tracking one of the victims’ stolen iPhones to a home in Carver Shores where the vehicle was found.
Thomas was also located at the home and taken into custody, while McRae was arrested around five months later, according to the SAO.
In all, Thomas and McRae were found guilty of the following charges:
- 2 counts of home invasion robbery with a firearm
- 3 counts of burglary of a dwelling with assault/battery with a firearm
- McRae was also found guilty of attempted felony murder with a firearm and aggravated battery.
Both men are scheduled to be sentenced on May 8.
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