A 38-year-old Ocala man is facing a first-degree murder charge in the August 2024 death of his 6-month-old son, according to court and law enforcement records.
James Westervelt was already in custody on child abuse charges related to the infant—stemming in part from an incident where he allegedly used a leaf blower on the child—when prosecutors formally filed the premeditated murder charge on Thursday, July 30.
Deputies with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office originally responded to Westervelt’s home in the summer of 2024 following reports of an unresponsive infant. The baby was taken to a local hospital and placed on life support, but died several days later.
Doctors determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma caused by violent shaking.
Investigators later obtained video showing Westervelt blowing air on his son with a leaf blower prior to the fatal injuries. Authorities said Westervelt claimed he used the tool on the child because he thought it was funny, leading to his initial arrest on child abuse charges in April.
Detectives re-interviewed Westervelt while he was incarcerated on those abuse charges.
“Eventually, once Westervelt was arrested in April this year for child abuse of the same victim, [authorities] were able to interview him again while in jail,” the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “It had been a couple of years since he provided his initial statement. He provided enough contradicting evidence. We worked with the state attorney’s office to, basically, charge him with murder.”
Public court records show prosecutors initially charged Westervelt with second-degree murder without premeditation, but later dismissed that count to refile the charge as first-degree premeditated murder.
Westervelt remains in custody, and his next court appearance is scheduled for September.
READ: Three Arrested After Florida Homeowner Beaten Unconscious With Own Shotgun
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