The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office on Monday announced that they’d identified a suspect in a string of vehicle burglaries in Palm Coast three years ago using DNA evidence. 22-year-old Palatka resident Levi Ayers is the second suspect in the April 2022 thefts, in addition to the already-named 22-year-old De’Omonte Baker.
The investigation into the robberies began the month they occurred, with the FCSO’s General Assignment Unit identifying nine vehicle break-ins as being seemingly connected to each other, as well as one stolen vehicle. The incidents happened between April 24th and April 30th of that year.
Further adding to the case was the discovery that credit cards stolen in the burglaries were popping up as being used in neighboring Putnam County. The FCSO’s Real Time Crime Center identified Hastings resident De’Omonte Baker, then 19, as the case’s first suspect. He was arrested on May 4th, 2022 on seven counts of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, six counts of petty theft, one count each of unarmed burglary of an occupied dwelling, grand theft with a firearm, and armed burglary.
In the days following Baker’s arrest, detectives turned to Ayers as a potential second suspect. Their key evidence would turn out to be a latex glove left behind in the stolen vehicle, which they sent for DNA analysis by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The results of that study came back on January 31st, 2025, with a match between Ayers and the glove.
Ayers was arrested in Putnam County on February 11th, with records indicating he was charged with violation of probation. Upon the conclusion of that case, Ayers is set to be transferred to the Flagler County jail to face his next set of charges: eight counts of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling plus one each of armed burglary, and grand theft of a motor vehicle.
“Early in the investigation, our detectives believed that they had identified the second suspect, but they needed the DNA results to prove the case,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “As expected, the results came back and confirmed they were right. After almost a two-year investigation, this dirtbag can finally be held accountable for his crimes. I commend our General Assignment Unit for their thorough investigation and warn dirtbags to stay out of Flagler County as we won’t give up until we get you!”
