Jakari D. Webb, right, killed Telan K. Mann, left. Webb was immediately sentenced to life in prison without parole. (Victim’s photo from his obituary; suspect’s mug shot from prosecutors)
A Florida A man was given a life sentence for a “catfishing” plot to lure and kill a 19-year-old gay man because he believed the victim had been spreading rumors about his sexuality.
Jakari D. Webb, 21, was convicted of first-degree murder with a firearm in the murder of Telan K. Mann, 19. Webb was immediately sentenced to life in prison without parole.
“The defendant’s killing of our victim was a clear example of premeditation,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said about the case in a statement. “He waited, armed with a semi-automatic handgun. The fact that he shot our victim nine times leaves no doubt that his only purpose was murder.”
Webb’s defense attorney said the authorities could not connect Webb to the murder, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported.
But through court documents and testimony from investigators, authorities said they linked the defendant’s cellphone to the murder weapon, the victim and the homicide, and video surveillance tracked the defendant arriving and running away from the crime scene to a home, according to court documents.
Mann was killed on June 23, 2022. Officers patrolling an area near Oak Tree Circle and Forest Glen Boulevard in Daytona Beach heard gunshots and found Mann’s bullet-riddled body on a sidewalk in a pool of blood just before 2 a.m. Police said six empty shell casings lying around the victim gave the appearance the suspect was either with the victim or had been waiting for the victim before the shooting. Webb was arrested days later.
An affidavit showed a text thread between Webb and Mann to meet up — the victim’s final moments. Video footage showed Webb kneeling behind a grass hill at the corner of Oak Tree and Forest Glen, concealing himself from the victim, the affidavit said.
Video shows the victim walking around the small grass hill and the defendant firing multiple shots at him before fleeing. Detectives said they found video surveillance of the defendant running through the city of Daytona Beach Public Works parking lots and video showing him shirtless, holding a light-colored sweater and a black shirt, and hiding in bushes on the property.
In a Ring doorbell video, he was seen running into a yard, hiding behind an RV and then reemerging and ducking into a wood line as a vehicle passed, the document said.
After his arrest, Webb told investigators a shifting story about his whereabouts at the time of the murder, court documents said. When a detective confronted him about his inconsistencies and said police had video tracking his whereabouts, Webb pretended not to know what the detective was talking about.
“But after further interviewing,” the affidavit said, “Webb admitted to shooting Telan Mann and claimed it to be self-defense due to Telan Mann attacking him with a knife.”
Webb said he took the knife after he shot Mann before admitting the victim did not have a knife, the affidavit said.
Webb confessed to communicating with Mann on the internet since February 2022 using a fake Instagram account, according to court papers outlining the deceptive scheme. Webb also informed law enforcement that Mann began to spread the lie that Webb was gay, leading some individuals to believe it, as stated in the documents.
“Webb admitted that he made the fake Instagram to retaliate against Telan Mann,” the legal document stated.
He stated that the shooting was unintentional and acknowledged that the 9 mm handgun discovered under a basketball hoop was the weapon used to end his life, according to court records.
Mann’s obituary stated that he attempted to lead a life filled with peace and affection.
“He adored people and the desire for love, he was always joyful, upbeat, and cherished family,” the obituary stated.