1 killed in Deltona shooting overnight; suspect charged with murder

Date Added: September 29, 2025 11:00 am

A 21-year-old man was killed, the suspect was found and detained in minutes, and detectives are continuing to investigate a fatal shooting that occurred overnight at a condominium at 140 Orchid Woods Court in Deltona.

Deputies responded to the condo complex shortly after 1 a.m. Monday after multiple callers reported hearing gunshots and screaming. The victim was found deceased with multiple gunshot wounds outside the door of a second-floor unit.

The suspect was captured on video surveillance from a doorbell camera, providing an immediate and detailed suspect description for deputies on scene.

Within minutes, at 1:15 a.m., a deputy in the area spotted an individual matching the suspect description and took him into custody near Providence Boulevard and Perimeter Drive.

At 1:20 a.m., a K-9 unit searching the area also recovered a black backpack believed to have been discarded by the suspect along the nearby bike trail.

The investigation is continuing at this hour and charges are pending. Additional updates will be provided here.

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CASE UPDATE: Overnight, deputies responded to a fatal shooting at 140 Orchid Woods Court, Deltona. On arrival, 21-year-old Joseph Whitmer was found deceased at the top of the stairs to his apartment. He had multiple gunshot wounds. The shooting was captured on doorbell camera. Within 15 minutes, deputies spotted a suspect in the area matching the shooter's description and took him into custody without incident. Brian D. Whittaker, 49, a resident of another unit in the complex, is charged with first-degree murder. A black sling bag seen on the shooter's shoulder in the doorbell video was also tracked down by a VSO K-9 unit and contained a loaded handgun, extra ammunition, and other weapons. Whittaker did not provide information to detectives. The investigation is continuing.