In a twist of fate, a Jacksonville man already incarcerated on molestation charges now faces a murder accusation linked to a botched armed robbery. Authorities didn’t have far to look to bring him in for questioning—he was already in jail.
This week, 45-year-old Damon Thomas was charged with murder, stemming from an ill-fated armed robbery attempt back in 2025. Thomas and his alleged accomplice, 32-year-old Rhoderius Simmons, targeted a business owner on Baymeadows Road. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reports that the incident escalated into a gunfight, resulting in Simmons being fatally shot.
“Simmons succumbed to his injuries in the parking lot, while Thomas managed to flee the scene,” the sheriff’s office shared in a statement on social media.
According to Florida law, individuals can be charged with murder if a co-conspirator is killed during the commission of a felony, regardless of who pulls the trigger. Alongside the murder charge, Thomas also faces accusations of attempted murder, possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, and attempted armed robbery.
Thomas was already serving time in Duval County jail, having been detained in December 2025 on charges related to molesting a child earlier that year. He has entered a not guilty plea for the molestation charge and awaits trial.
Thomas was already in the Duval County jail Wednesday. He had previously been arrested in December 2025 after allegedly molesting a child earlier that year. He has pleaded not guilty to that charge and is expected to go to trial.
