PENSACOLA — The Office of State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit of Florida plans to move forward on prosecuting Mary Rice for the death of Kayla Crocker, which occurred in Escambia County, Florida, State Attorney Bill Eddins announced.
A grand jury will review the matter within the next 30 days; the state will seek an indictment against Rice for first-degree murder.
Rice is charged with participating in the shooting death of Pensacola resident Kayla Crocker, who police say was the fourth to die at the hand of William Boyette.
Crocker, 28, was mortally wounded in a home invasion robbery at her home on Beulah Road. She died in a Pensacola hospital.
Immediately after Rice surrendered Feb. 7, Boyette killed himself with a single gunshot to the head, according to Troup County, Georgia Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Stewart Smith.
Rice also faces capital murder charges in Baldwin County, Alabama.
Peggy Phillips Broz, 52, was gunned down in front of her home in Lillian on Feb. 3. Authorities believe Boyette, with Rice in his company, shot and killed Broz before stealing her car, which was later found abandoned in Escambia County.
Rice also faces charges in Santa Rosa County as an accomplice to Boyette after the fact of murder. She was caught on videotape at the Crestview Walmart buying bullets while Boyette waited outside. The purchase was made after Boyette had been named a suspect in the Jan. 31 fatal shootings of Alicia Greer and Jacqualine Moore at a motel near Milton.
“Additional investigation has indicated that there is sufficient evidence to move forward on the Escambia County prosecution at this time,” a media release from Eddins’ office stated. “This decision was made after discussing this matter with Robert Wilters, district attorney for Baldwin County, Alabama. Any decision regarding charges that Rice may face in Alabama will be made by that office.”
Rice is incarcerated in Santa Rosa County jail on a charge of accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Rice to face grand jury on Escambia murder charge