PINE HILLS, Fla. – Orange County deputies arrested a man in connection with the stabbing death of 45-year-old DeGwendolyn “Gwen” Floyd in her Pine Hills home.
Deputies found Floyd around 11 p.m. on Nov. 28 while responding to a stabbing reported out of the 2800 block of Rockingham Circle, the sheriff’s office said. She was then taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Tremon Delo Jones, 33, was taken into custody on Friday after detectives identified Jones through video surveillance and phone records showing he communicated with Floyd and arrived at her residence just before the attack.
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According to the arrest affidavit, Jones entered the home after Floyd opened the door, then immediately attacked her with “an unknown object,” stabbing her multiple times in the face and neck.
Investigators said the attack was premeditated, with Jones coordinating the meeting via text messages, and Jones was “clearly wearing a sweatshirt with a hood over his head, a backpack on his back, and a surgical mask covering the majority of his face.”
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Orange County deputies said Jones was found at a Sanford outreach mission and taken into custody without incident. Evidence, including a tablet linked to Jones, was recovered at the scene.
Jones, known to Floyd and her family as “Savage,” had a history of trying to unlawfully enter her residence, including an incident on March 9, 2024, when he attempted to enter her bedroom.
Rashonda Floyd, the victim’s sister, says she may never understand why it happened.
“I don’t think he (Jones) will ever say why he did it—and his ‘why’ will never be good enough for me,” she said.
Rashonda says Jones was not a stranger but knew her sister.
“He was an acquaintance of my sister’s,” she explained. “They weren’t in a relationship. They would see each other off and on.”
She remains confused about how Jones managed to reconnect with her sister.
“I don’t know what that conversation was, or what he could have said to her to make her open enough to let him come over.”
Investigators state in the arrest report they eventually tracked Jones down at an outreach shelter in Sanford.
“Gwen was an amazing person, and I know she is resting peacefully,” Rashonda said.
Rashonda says although Gwen’s life was short, her light still shines.
“He could never take away her spirit. I have a video of her laugh, so I can still listen to it.”
Jones was charged with first-degree murder and was booked into the Orange County Jail on no bond.