Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Deonté Denzel Latson, 23, was arrested yesterday after allegedly threatening to strangle the mother of his child while she slept.
At approximately 7:55 a.m. on October 24, an Alachua County Sheriff’s deputy went to a bus stop on SE 43rd Street following a report of a death threat.
According to the victim, Latson had spent the night at her apartment while visiting their child. The two argued, and Latson slept in a separate part of the residence.
The woman told deputies she woke up to a lengthy text message from Latson. The message concluded: “Multiple reasons why I could come strangle you [right now] while you sleep no one will ever [know] what happened… This ain’t no threat its written knowledge.”
The deputy said he verified the message on the victim’s phone. It had been sent by a contact saved as “baby daddy,” and the victim confirmed that the associated number belonged to Latson.
After reading the message, the victim said she feared for her life. She texted Latson that he could no longer stay at her apartment and asked him to leave before she went to work.
The victim said she drove Latson to his brother’s home, and the two argued during the trip. After reaching the bus stop, Latson left the vehicle and walked toward his brother’s residence.
After being read his Miranda rights, Latson reportedly acknowledged sending the text.
Latson, who currently lives in North Carolina, faces a charge of sending a written threat to kill. His record includes unspecified juvenile convictions, one violent misdemeanor conviction and five cases involving domestic battery or assault charges that were dropped since 2022, including two cases in 2025. Judge Meshon Rawls ordered Latson held without bail while awaiting a hearing on the State Attorney’s Office’s request to keep him jailed without bail through trial. If the motion is denied, bail will be determined at that hearing.
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.
