Pensacola man gets 10 years for shooting ex's new boyfriend

Benjamin Johnson, Pensacola News Journal
·2 min read

A Pensacola man charged with shooting his ex-girlfriend's boyfriend was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Brandon White was charged for shooting Donecius Gillis on Oct. 2, 2022, in front of his ex-girlfriend and children, but he accepted a plea deal in April that led to the dismissal of his attempted first-degree premeditated murder charge.

White pleaded no contest to aggravated battery with great bodily harm or with a deadly weapon, and the following charges were also dropped:

  • Burglary of a dwelling while armed with a dangerous weapon

  • Aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony

  • Child neglect without causing great bodily harm

Before the charges were dropped, White faced up to life in prison.

What happened on Oct. 2, 2022?

Escambia County Sheriff's deputies arrested White on Oct. 2, 2022, after they responded to the 2600 block of Patricia Drive for a shots fired call.

Upon arrival, deputies found Gillis was shot multiple times in the home with Brandon's ex-girlfriend and children.

"(The victim) stated that Brandon White busted into the house and shot him," court records say. "He stated that (White) was driving a Fed Ex truck and left in an unknown direction."

Records say White had been texting his ex-girlfriend the day of the incident that "he was going to finder her and kill her" for being with Gillis.

Gillis also told law enforcement that White threatened him on Facebook with a message saying, "I'm going to kill you for talking to my ex."

"(Gillis) stated that he was in his bedroom with (the woman) and her two children when White entered his residence (and) he went into his bedroom and he saw a gun on White's person," records say. "He then attempted to grab the gun, but was unable to."

Records say the victim ran inside his closet when White opened fire.

Law enforcement later found White after identifying the Fed Ex truck in an apartment complex on Burgess Road.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola man gets decade in prison for shooting ex's boyfriend