Grand jury indicts two on murder charges

The newly-named Judge Stephan P. Mickle, Sr. Courthouse.
The Judge Stephan P. Mickle, Sr. Courthouse.
Photo by C.J. Gish

The Alachua County Fall Term Grand Jury indicted Javon Barclay and Amanda Janzen on murder charges and did not issue a true bill for a deputy-involved shooting that killed an allegedly suicidal man.

According to an Eighth Judicial Circuit press release, the indictments and review for a true bill were presented to the grand jury on Wednesday.

Janzen, 38, of Alachua, was indicted with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement and five counts of child neglect.

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Amanda Janzen
Courtesy of Alachua County Jail Amanda Janzen

The incident occurred on Dec. 25, 2023, at the Walgreens store at the intersection of NW 13th Street and NW 39th Avenue (3900 NW 13th St.) around 2 p.m. when Janzen went to meet for a child custody exchange with Thomas Lepread Williams. Janzen shot and killed Anna Haslup Terrill and shot and injured Williams in the parking lot when she went to turn an 11-month-old baby over to Williams in a custody exchange.

A Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officer observed Janzen’s vehicle fleeing the scene and Janzen led GPD, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) and the Alachua Police Department on a high-speed pursuit that ended in the Taco Bell parking lot in Alachua, where Janzen surrendered to law enforcement.

Barclay, 29, of Ocala, was indicted for first-degree murder, grand theft of a motor vehicle, grand theft of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, felony driving while license suspended and fleeing or attempting to elude.

The charges stemmed from a Sept. 17, 2023, shooting at Cynthia Chestnut Park when Barclay shot and killed Johnny Walker.

Javon Barclay
Courtesy of Alachua County Jail Javon Barclay

ACSO deputies responded to the scene and discovered Walker suffering from a gunshot. It was reported that a gold BMW sedan was stolen from the scene that was located by the Ocala Police Department on Sept. 18 while driving north on US Highway 441. With assistance from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, ACSO deputies tracked down the vehicle and successfully performed a precision immobilization technique (P.I.T.) maneuver and took Barclay into custody.

Barclay and Janzen are remanded to the Alachua County Jail without bond.

After reviewing audio, video and documentary evidence, the grand jury did not find a true bill in an ACSO deputy-involved shooting that resulted in the death of 58-year-old Wendell Chastain.

The event took place on June 12, 2023, when ACSO deputies responded to 17607 NW County Road 231 in unincorporated Gainesville when a woman was concerned about the mental well-being of her husband.

When deputies arrived, Chastain, who had sent messages to family members telling them he wanted to end his life, pointed a shotgun in the direction of the deputies. After failing to comply with instructions to drop the weapon, the deputies shot Chastain, who later died on scene.

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