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New Details Released In Murder Of Former Molino Fire Chief Gary Diamond
December 28, 2020
We’re learning more details about the murder of a former Molino fire chief early Saturday morning and what led up to the shooting.
Gary Diamond was pronounced deceased from multiple gunshot wounds outside his home in the 400 block of Molino Road shortly after 3:30 a.m.
The suspect, 30-year old Jared Cordel Clakley, is charged with second degree murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrived to find a Diamond with bullet wounds to his abdomen and neck. He was pronounced deceased on the scene.
Three witnesses told deputies that Clakley fired four or five shots at Diamond before fleeing in his vehicle. Deputies found the vehicle wrecked near Highway 95A and Molino Road, but Clakley had fled. A K-9 unit was deployed to track him down. He was later located at a family member’s home off of Holsberry Place.
Diamond’s daughter, who has children with Clakley, told investigators she stopped at the Homestead Lounge with her female friend. She noticed Clakley sitting at the bar with his father, and she went over to say hello. He became angry that she was the bar and not home with their kids, and a heated argument followed, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report. Clakley was asked to leave the bar.
The daughter said she began to receive threatening phone calls from Clakley, and he soon arrived at the family home on Molino Road. He remained in his car and began to argue with her, her mother and another relative. Diamond approached the car and an altercation with Clakley occurred through the car window.
Related Story: Communities Mourn After Murder Of Former Molino Fire Chief Gary Diamond
In the middle of the altercation, Clakley put the vehicle in reverse and backed down the driveway with Diamond hanging from the driver’s window, the report states. The vehicle struck a tree. The daughter ran to the car and pulled Diamond away before Clakley’s vehicle struck the mother.
Investigators said Diamond ran to the car and began pulling Clakley out of the vehicle, at which time Clakley fired several rounds. Diamond fell to the ground.
One of the victims recorded the entire incident on her phone. According to deputies, the video corroborated the statements of all three witnesses.
Clakley’s statements to investigators were redacted from the arrest report.
Clakley is being held without bond. His next court appearance is set for January 15.
Pictured: The scene of an early Saturday morning murder in the 400 block of Molino Road. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
34 Responses to “New Details Released In Murder Of Former Molino Fire Chief Gary Diamond”
Today is the day of uncle Gary’s funeral…. and im so upset that i cant come to it… but i wanted to say my prayers for him and for everyone who is going. It is going to be hard at first, but we can all get through this together, he died a hero not just to us but to every one in the world, his memories will always stay in our heart, its okay to let it out, dont hold it in, he would want us to be happy and not cry ,but i understand that sometimes we cant help it, because when we lost someone you truly loved and appreciated, the will always be a hole where that one person use to belong. Uncle Gary was one of the most important people in my life, and i cant help but be upset about it, but i promise we can all get through this together. My prayers are sent out to each and every one of you
he was a great uncle to me , someone who i looked up to and it is hard to believe that he is really gone, i wish it was a dream. He will never be forgot and we all will always keep his memories within a special place in our heart. I loved all the times ive with him and my aunt Sidney. I loved when we went to the river and stayed there all day long or just when we simply did fires at the house, but my favorite one is the one night all the family got together and had a big fire and made over 50 pounds of craw fish, he sure did tear them up lol. Im going to miss him so much. Love you Uncle Gary thank you for everything you have done for me and the family.
He arrived at the property knowing full well what he was planning to do…If he did want to be pulled out of the vehicle then why did he come over here to Their property arguing and threatening Gary’s daughter…Then tried to run Cindy over…What did he expect was going to happen…Also he’s a convinced fellon,where did he get the gun, and why did he bring it with him? It really doesn’t matter why,That was his plan all along…I don’t care what he claimed happened…I don’t understand why he’s only being charged with second degree murder…No one else had a weapon he’s just a Coward that didn’t want his butt kicked he’s dangerous and that’s all there is to it. HE NEEDS LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE
Stand your ground dosen’t apply if you’re committing a felony. See ya in 50 years.
It may turn out to be “mutual combatants”. According to the article Diamond did charge the guy twice. Second time was after wife was hit with car. 1st time Diamond attacked the felon is what caused the felon to flee and run over the wife. This is not so “cut n dry” as many are wishing for here.
Well every one of us have somewhat of a different opinion about what went down,
All aI can say at this point a good man who cared for his family and community was taken much to soon.
Ya’ll are unbelievable. You can ASSUME what you want, but you really should keep your OPINION to yourself unless you know the FACTS!!! Diamond was NEVER in the wrong here. When a lunatic comes to your HOME and starts threatening to SHOOT EVERYONE THERE and then RUNS YOUR WIFE OVER, what the hell would you do? Stand there and do nothing??? Come on now, this man was PROTECTING his family from being KILLED. Clakely whom is a convicted felon went to their house with the intent to HURT SOMEONE. Unless you know the Diamond family and know how much Gary has done for our community, for his family, and even strangers then you need to close your lips because you’re only hurting this grieving family even more than they already are. Have some common decency.
A few people here dont fully understand “stand your ground” . Within the statute is the caveat ” if you are where you are legally allowed and engaging in a legal activity” . I am fairly sure that a felon with a firearm knocks him out of the chance for using stand your ground.
This family was standing their on ground, this is where they lived. He was thrown out of the bar for his words and actions in the bar, the girls left the bar and he followed the down to Diamonds property. Who knows what he said to Diamond but I can guarantee
It was another threat. Diamond was trying to protect his family. This scum should go away for life. No black powder gun. More than apt a stolen gun. Justice for Diamond.
A good man, A Hero.
He’ll plead out to manslaughter
They need to bring back ole Sparky lethal injection ain’t making it.
Our world will be a better place without chumps like this in it…..
@OG right calling people names…”Keyboard Warrior,”
It will be interesting to see how it does play out in court and what legal strategies’ are used.
Was anyone else in the car with the perpetrator? Who did the weapon belong to?
*theory nothing to do with this case: If a convicted felon is assaulted by someone with a gun and in the process of defending themselves their assailant who is not felon is shot and killed does stand your ground apply? Or is the convicted felony basically guilty of breathing?
He’s charged with 2nd degree because the victim charged him twice, and the second time tried to pull him out of the car. He WILL be convicted of a felon in possession of a firearm. On 7/16/14, a FL Appeals court decided iStand Your Ground could be used as a defense for a felon. The threatening messages could be him threatening to report her to Children’s and Family, or take the kids, etc. You may not think that him being a felon could cause trouble, but until his rights are terminated, he has rights (sometimes too many). He may not necessarily have threatened to harm her. He could have gotten nervous and hit the mother, could also be why he ran. I’m just saying this is not a clear cut case.
According the article clackley was involved in an altercation while inside the vehicle. He then tried to leave and diamond was still hanging on. Diamond then went back to the car again to continue the scuffle and shots were fired. People should try to look at this objectively. If someone hits me thru my window and I try to leave and they try to pull me thru the window.. BANG BANG BANG. Clackley may be in the wrong on several things here but so was diamond. The rest is up to a jury of peers and with the right attorney he does time for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and that’s it. And with the alcohol involved premeditation goes out the window.
Stand your ground is out the window due to him not being allowed to process a gun.
#1 he was already a convicted felon that should not have had a gun. #2 sending thretening messages to his childrens mother proves he went there with ill intent, so self defense will not even be plausible in court. #3″ stand your ground” applies to the one who was protecting his own home and family.
It’s not a stand your ground case. ITS A FELON POSSESSED A WEAPON AND MURDERED SOMEONE. It was not a black powder pistol OR ONLY 1 SHOT WOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED. It was a revolver or semi automatic handgun in a FELONS hand. This is why it’s 1st degree. He premeditated a crime, by ILLEGALLY possessing the weapon.
This man went to this home with intention of hurting someone he was told to leave and than hit Gary’s wife with the car that’s when Gary got involved to try and protect his family
Lock this scum up and throw away the key. I dont care if there was an “altercation”, you don’t take someone’s life for no reason, especially something like this. Dude looks like a junkie, and needs to rot in prison. Keep him off our streets, FOR GOOD.
If it was me and Someone was trying to snatch me out the window or door of my car I would be looking for any and everything to get them off of me as well now the felon with a gun part has some explaining to do maybe he had a black powder revolver which black powder fire arms are legal to have for felons?! I’m just saying
Sounds like a stand your ground case. Don’t be surprised if this guy gets off with nothing. If someone tries to pull me out my window they should be prepared for a similar fate.
Interesting filters.
Again, Second Degree? I understand the premeditated side…
Put this guy under the prison. Look at the length of his arrest record in Escambia county alone. His crimes are escalating and judging by his mugshots, so is his drug use. Keep this loser off of the streets.
Such a tragic and totally unnecessary death, all due to anger . Sadly, leaving a family devastated and broken. So terribly sad and should never have happened. My heart goes out the victim’s wife. She is the one who has to pick up and try to go on with what remains of her life . Praying for her to feel peace and have the support she needs from loved ones and friends.
The entire situation is horrible. I am truly saddened by the unnecessary loss of life during the holidays and my prayers go out to all involved. However, if the victim went through the car window trying to drag the driver out of the car and the driver fired jn self defense…. who is guilt of what exactly?
This isn’t as cut and dry as I first assumed. Mitigating Circumstances will play a big role in this case.
JUST SAYING
1. CANT BE SELF DEFENSE IN HIS OWN CAR!!! drive away
2. First degree, a felon isn’t going to carry a gun without intent to use
3. Hang him
Just saying your ignorant he was a Convicted felon he shouldn’t even of had a handgun you idiot but people like you think it’s ok for law abiding citizens not too be armed but let criminals have guns go back too mommy’s basement and play Xbox and ask her too make you a sandwich…keyboard warrior
Second degree?
@ Gary Hebert -The standard for 1st and 2nd degree murder are different. 1st degree would indicate that the perpetrator went there intending to murder the victim. In this case that was likely not the case and so 2nd degree murder.
What is said and done in anger is about as difficult to take back as putting feathers back in a torn pillow. This is definitely going to be an interesting legal case. Video helps but who who threw the first punch? Could be a case for stand your ground which won’t be popular at all I’m sure.
Tragic loss and sorry for it all.
How can he be charged with second degree murder when he killed him should be charged with first degree murder
Another jitter bug going away for life.