CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. – A Citrus County jury has found 37-year-old Dwann Demetrius Ross Jr. guilty of Second-Degree Murder with a Firearm, rejecting claims that the 2024 shooting of a fellow business owner was an act of self-defense.
The verdict was delivered today following a trial centered on the death of 33-year-old Traske C. Johnson, who was gunned down in the parking lot of Colonial Plaza in Inverness. Following the decision, Ross was remanded into custody. He is scheduled to face sentencing on February 24, 2026.
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The charges stem from a violent confrontation on May 28, 2024. Deputies from the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of gunfire at the plaza and discovered Johnson suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.
Ross, who was detained at the scene, admitted to shooting Johnson but argued he was acting in self-defense against an aggressor. However, evidence presented by Assistant State Attorneys Blake Shore and Kevin Davis painted a different picture of the events.
According to investigators, both men operated separate businesses within the plaza. The fatal encounter was preceded by a brief physical altercation, during which Ross produced a handgun and fired at Johnson multiple times.
Testimony and digital evidence revealed the dispute was personal rather than professional. Investigators uncovered a series of heated text messages sent prior to the shooting. The conflict reportedly began when Johnson told a female acquaintance that Ross was romantically involved with multiple women, angering the defendant.
Ross had previously attempted to dismiss the case during a “Stand Your Ground” hearing in August 2025. The court denied the motion, ruling that the use of lethal force was not justified under the circumstances, paving the way for this week’s conviction.
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