Daytona Police Arrest Second Suspect in May 31st’s Deadly Shooting

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A major update came through the wire Thursday evening in relation to the May 31st shooting that left one victim dead in Daytona Beach. 37-year-old Cory Crooms has now been arrested following the May arrest of 29-year-old Devonte Smokes, and he’s charged both in the original shooting and a new one from this week. Read More: Police Name Devonte Smokes in Wednesday Homicide In the initial incident, police say a dark Kia vehicle pulled up alongside the victim’s vehicle at a red light on S Nova Rd and Bellevue Ave, before firing multiple rounds into their vehicle. The Kia drove away from the scene, and the victim succumbed to their gunshot wounds. Smokes was already in custody on unrelated charges when the Daytona Beach Police Department tied him to the shooting. He was charged with first degree murder, fleeing and eluding, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, fentanyl possession, driving with a cancelled/suspended license, resisting arrest nonviolently, parole violation, and sexual acts by someone over 24 on a victim 16 or 17 years of age. Unsurprisingly, Smokes was not granted bond. Cory Crooms has a few less charges to his name; he’s at the Volusia County Branch Jail on charges of first degree murder, fleeing and eluding, and resisting arrest nonviolently. The DBPD’s statement on Croom’s arrest specifies that the first of those is, more precisely, ‘principal to premeditated first degree murder’. He is also suspected in a shooting that occurred Wednesday night, the victim of which is in critical condition.