Following the arrest, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is still seeking public assistance to resolve several lingering questions regarding the case.
ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — On Tuesday, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office reported they have detained a suspect linked to the 2023 double homicide of two men discovered shot inside a car in West Augustine.
Derrick Walden, aged 43, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Cody Bennett, 21, and Tre’ Lyons, 22, as stated by the SJSO.
The bodies of Bennett and Lyons were found on November 27, 2023, inside a vehicle close to the junction of Pearl Street and North Orange Street in West Augustine.
After thorough investigation, detectives from the SJSO concluded that the murders took place at approximately 11:30 p.m.
During their inquiries, detectives obtained surveillance footage capturing an individual approaching and then fleeing the scene around the time of the incident. Additionally, an examination of Bennett’s phone records revealed communication with Walden shortly before the shooting transpired.
“We believe that Cody had arranged to meet with Derrick Walden that night so that Derrick Walden could purchase marijuana from Cody Bennett,” SJSO Sergeant Gene Tolbert said in a news release.
In January 2024, SJSO said its SWAT team executed a search warrant at Walden’s home as part of an unrelated narcotics investigation.
During the search, the sheriff’s office said “several items” relevant to the homicide were found, including a picture of the gun used in the murder.
SJSO said the gun was later found in a nearby pond.
“Another firearm, not related to this case, was recovered in his home during the search warrant,” SJSO said. “Because Walden is a convicted felon, he’s not allowed to possess a firearm. He was taken into custody and convicted of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon in federal court. He is currently serving time in federal prison.”
SJSO said a warrant has been issued for Walden’s arrest, adding that he will be extradited back to Florida to face the murder charges.
“The murders of Tre Lyons and Cody Bennett have impacted our community tremendously,” Sheriff Robert Hardwick said. “I’m proud of the men and women of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. This arrest reflects our determination to fight for justice for the victims and their families. Regardless of how long it takes, if you commit a crime in St. Johns County, you will be held accountable.”
According to SJSO, its detectives worked in collaboration with the State Attorney’s Office 7th Judicial Circuit, the United States Attorney’s Office, FBI Jacksonville, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) over the course of the investigation.
Despite Walden’s arrest, SJSO said detectives are still looking for information from the public to “answer some unanswered questions.”
“There are still questions in this case that remain unanswered and we would still like to receive that information,” Sgt. Tolbert said. “While this case has garnered a lot of attention from the public, it certainly doesn’t represent who we are as a community and I would just like to urge our citizens in St. Johns County to bring any information they may have forward to the Sheriff’s Office so we can answer those unanswered questions. There is a possibility that there are additional people that could be subject to charges but those individuals have yet to be identified, that’s why we are looking for the public’s help.”
Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact SJSO at crimetips@sjso.org, or call 904-824-8304.
To report information anonymously, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477).
