February 2, 2008
Gary Davidson
Public Information Officer

SHERIFF’S OFFICE MAKES ARREST IN HOME INVASION 

Some swift and skilled police work along with a chance encounter at the Volusia Mall in Daytona Beach led to a big break Friday, less than two days after a violent home invasion in Ormond-by-the-Sea that victimized a 69-year-old man. While the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office has one person in custody and is searching for two alleged accomplices, the Ormond Beach Police Department continues to investigate possible links to another home invasion. 

Both home invasions occurred early Thursday morning and involved three Black men, at least one armed with a gun. In the Ormond-by-the-Sea attack, three men barged into a home on John Anderson Drive, tied up and battered Gordon McCarthy and stole money from his house and his tugboat docked across the street in the Halifax River. After the attack, the intruders locked the victim in his van and then sped off in a blue and silver sport-utility vehicle. McCarthy, who sustained a gash on his head and several bruises during the attack, managed to get out of the van with his hands still bound and summon a nearby acquaintance for help. 

Sheriff’s investigators dispatched to the scene to search for clues quickly found a key piece of evidence. In the sand not far from the victim’s tugboat, investigators spotted bond paperwork belonging to a suspected accomplice. That information along with follow-up investigation led to a search for a 2003 Ford Expedition that was reported stolen in Ormond Beach on Wednesday, the day before the two home invasions. Right around 4 p.m. on Friday, officials got another big break when Sheriff’s investigator Richard Fortin spotted the stolen SUV parked at the Volusia Mall. Sheriff’s investigators placed the vehicle under surveillance, but not for long. About 15 minutes later, they took 21-year-old Jeremiah Holliday into custody as he strolled up to the SUV and got inside. Holliday initially was charged with grand theft auto and petty theft of a stolen license plate that had been placed on the SUV. Holliday later admitted to his involvement in the home invasion after investigators found two rare coins in his pocket that were taken in the attack. That led to the filing of additional charges against Holliday, including home invasion robbery, kidnapping, burglary, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, aggravated assault, aggravated battery and two counts of grand theft. Investigators believe one of Holliday’s accomplices knew through a connection with an acquaintance of the victim that McCarthy had money and valuables in his house. 

Holliday, of 608 Hudson Street in Daytona Beach, was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail at about 12:45 a.m. Saturday morning and was being held without bond.