A suspect in a 2019 murder has been arrested at an apartment complex in Oxford.
Darrell Devon Bogle, 26, of Leesburg, is facing a charge of first degree murder in the death of 61-year old Michael Majed Kotait of Winter Garden, whose body was discovered in 2019 in Wildwood. The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office determined Kotait’s cause of death was a result of homicidal violence.
Just prior to the report of the body being discovered, the Wildwood Police Department was notified of a vehicle submerged in the water at the Lake Deaton Boat Ramp. The unoccupied vehicle was a white Honda SUV, which was identified as being registered to Kotait.
Sumter County sheriff’s detectives were conducting surveillance Monday night at The Mark Apartments in Oxford when they spotted Bogle, who was wanted on a Sumter County warrant charging him with murder.
He was immediately taken into custody and found to have a stolen 9mm handgun hidden in his waistband. Additionally, a significant quantity of narcotics and other contraband were found in his vehicle upon arrest. The detectives found Bogle was in possession of 218.77 grams of methamphetamine, 136.54 grams of fentanyl, 8.47 grams of oxycodone prescription pills, 15.64 grams of crack cocaine, 693.22 grams of THC wax, 1233.32 grams of marijuana, and 40 packs of Suboxone (a Schedule III narcotic), along with a digital scale, rifle ammunition, and other drug paraphernalia items.
Detectives want to emphasize that while an arrest has been made, this case is still an active investigation as they do not believe Darrell Bogle acted alone in the murder. The Florida Sheriff’s Association’s Criminal Apprehension Assistance Program has agreed to pay an enhanced reward of $5,000 in conjunction with a $5,000 reward from Crimeline, for information leading to the identity of the person(s) responsible for the murder of Michael Kotait. This brings the reward total to $10,000…