Sister of man killed in downtown shooting calls for maximum sentence as one of three men convicted

JACKSONVILLE, Florida. — The sister of a man shot to death in downtown Jacksonville asked the judge in court Tuesday to hand down the maximum sentence for the three men accused of murder.

Gary Jackson was found shot to death behind a dumpster on West Ashley Street on May 2, 2023.

Ryan Nichols, who was 19 at the time of his arrest, was charged with first-degree murder, while 18-year-old Daniel DeGuardia was charged with accessory after the fact.

Holden Dodson, 21, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact.

In court, Jackson’s sister gave an emotional victim impact statement, saying she felt “sadness and emptiness” following his murder, especially knowing he begged for his life in his final moments.

She said his nine-year-old daughter kept asking, “Why did they kill my father?” The sister said she could not answer that question.

Investigators said surveillance footage from nearby businesses showed a man with what appeared to be a handgun chasing Jackson while a Jeep Grand Cherokee followed.

Jackson appeared to be hiding behind the dumpster, he raised the gun and saw several muzzle flashes.

The sister asked Judge Anthony Salem to sentence all three men to the maximum penalty so that her family could receive justice.

Dodson and DeGuardia apologized to Jackson’s family.

“This horrific crime will be forever etched in my memory,” Dodson said in his statement.

He also said that he had been in psychiatric treatment for years of depression.

DeGuardia told the court his life was “out of control” after his father died of COVID-19.

“I know I messed up,” DeGuardia said.

Nichols wished he had done things differently that night and asked the court for mercy.

Relatives of all three men spoke on their behalf and asked for leniency.

Nichols’ grandmother, who raised him, pleaded for mercy, mentioning that he was taken away from his parents at the age of four because of drug use and domestic violence in their household.

The mothers of DeGuardia and Dodson also asked the court for mercy, saying the two young men had made mistakes and would take responsibility for their actions.

Salem said he was heartbroken for the Jackson family before sentencing Nichols to 40 years in prison.

The sentencing for Dodson and DeGuardia is scheduled for June 28.