BREAKING NEWS: Brothers charged with murder in gunshot slaying in Daytona Beach

Sheriff's investigators: More than 26 rounds fired from rifle and handgun

Siblings Ray Greenlaw and Wayne Greenlaw are being held with out bail on first-degree murder charges in Saturday morning's drug-related gunshot slaying in Daytona Beach.

DAYTONA BEACH -- Volusia County Sheriff’s investigators have charged two brothers, 54-year-old Ray Greenlaw and 51-year-old Wayne Greenlaw, with murder and other criminal offenses related to today’s melee under the cover of darkness that led to one man being gunned down in the street and a surviving victim undergoing surgery for a machete strike to his left forearm.

Combined, the two brothers fired off more than 26 rounds from a rifle and handgun during the 5:36 a.m.

shooting that prompted more than a half-dozen 911 calls from worried residents in the Daytona Highridge Estates neighborhood, Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said.

"The victim who died, Brian Leverett, was armed with a shotgun, but never got off a shot," Davidson said, adding, "And both defendants confirmed that they didn’t see the shotgun and didn’t know that Leverett was armed."

The Greenlaws live at 9 Aspen St., where the initial confrontation occurred.

Wayne Greenlaw told investigators that a fight broke out early Saturday morning, when the two victims showed up at their house and supposedly tried to sell them drugs, Davidson said.

Justin Riley underwent emergency surgery at Halifax Medical Center for a machete strike wound to his left forearm. He is expected to survive.

"After the argument broke out, the victims were expelled from the house," the Sheriff's spokesman said. "But then Ray Greenlaw came outside and he was armed with a machete. As the conflict continued, Ray Greenlaw swung the machete and Justin Riley sustained a deep gash to his left forearm."

Davidson continued, "Meanwhile, Leverett went down the street to his home at 14 Aspen St., armed himself with a shotgun and started walking back in the direction of the house where the initial confrontation had occurred. Unbeknownst to Leverett, the Greenlaw brothers had also armed themselves and came outside looking for him. A witness overheard one of the brothers saying he would kill the victims."

As the brothers went outside, Wayne Greenlaw fired two warning shots in the air. Then, when the brothers found Leverett walking down the street, they both opened fire as the victim sought cover in a carport at 13 Aspen St., Davidson said.

Riley already was inside that home, where friends were tending to his laceration and heard the final volley of gunfire.

Leverett was felled in the carport by multiple gunshots, and at least 26 bullets struck the interior of the carport. Investigators recovered numerous spent rounds in the road, Davidson said.

The rifle and handgun along with the machete were recovered Saturday afternoon during a search of the Greenlaws’ home.

While the Greenlaw brothers said that after the initial confrontation, they were worried about whether the victims would return and what they might do, neither said they had been threatened, Davidson said.

"And as they armed themselves and went looking for the victims, they weren’t threatened at the time and didn’t know that Leverett was armed when they fired their rounds into him," the Sheriff's spokesman said. "Additionally, based on the witness statements, the brothers went out looking to kill the victims."

"And as they armed themselves and went looking for the victims, they weren’t threatened at the time and didn’t know that Leverett was armed when they fired their rounds into him," the Sheriff's spokesman said. "Additionally, based on the witness statements, the brothers went out looking to kill the victims."

As a result, the Sheriff’s Office charged the brothers as follows:

Ray Greenlaw

Wayne Greenlaw

  Both brothers have been transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach, where they are being held without bond.

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