News & Updates

***UPDATE*** We’re happy to report Mr. Maslanka has been located in Santa Rosa County and is safe. Thank you everyone for helping get out the word! The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public's help in locating Missing Endangered Adult Edward...

A Fort Walton Beach man involved in an early morning fatal shooting following a residential break-in fled the scene with the gun and is now charged with tampering with evidence.The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office was called to 115 Shirley Drive near Fort Walton Beach...

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal shooting that took place around 5 a.m. this morning on Shirley Drive.Deputies were called to a townhome in connection to a woman’s phone call reporting that a man broke into her home and had been shot.They...

A Crestview man has been arrested on charges he sexually molested two young girls under the age of twelve.The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has charged 46-year old James Daniel Hughes of Auburn Road with sexual battery on a victim under the age of twelve, two...

A Crestview area man facing felony warrants ran and hid from Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputies throughout the day yesterday before ultimately turning himself in at the Okaloosa County Jail last night.45-year old Michael Pechacek was then served warrants for domestic...

A 19-year old Illinois tourist drowned Saturday after being caught in a rip current in the Gulf of Mexico off Scenic Highway 98 in Destin.Lifeguards pulled multiple people from the water despite the Gulf being closed to swimming due to dangerous conditions created by...

A narcotics search warrant executed October 8th by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Multi-Agency Drug Task force led to the arrests of two Fort Walton Beach men on charges of operating a public nuisance structure for drug activity and more.Four other individuals...

The sister of a Defuniak Springs teen arrested in connection with the armed robbery of two Illinois tourists on Okaloosa Island July 15th is now charged in the same crime.17-year old Akira Thomas of Fort Walton Beach was served a warrant October 2nd for aggravated...

Efforts by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Layton Utah Police Department have led to the closure of two cold case sexual battery cases, perpetrated by the same man. He died in South Carolina in 2015.The Okaloosa victim was 26 when robbed and attacked on...

33-year old Robert James Nelson, Jr of Crestview was taken into custody last night at the Holiday Inn Resort at 1299 Miracle Strip Parkway. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigation Section, Street Crimes Unit, and Special response Team executed a...

An 18-year old Defuniak Springs resident has been arrested in connection with the armed robbery of two Illinois tourists on Okaloosa Island last July.The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has charged Shakeem Thomas with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, robbery...

An Okaloosa Island man shot during a drug deal gone bad last week now faces multiple charges after the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at his apartment.22-year old John Wade was arrested September 25th for possession of marijuana with intent...

A Valparaiso woman who worked for a local law firm approximately ten years has been arrested oncharges she stole more than $700,000 from her former employer.The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office arrested 41 year old Janice Porter September 23rd for Fraud - more than...

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a home invasion robbery that took place early this morning at a home in Holt, west of Crestview.The victim went outside his residence on Belgium Run around 5 a.m. to investigate a noise and was confronted by an...

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is one of the first agencies in the country to implement a newMotorola Solutions 9-1-1 pilot program that allows citizens to send video, photographs, and recordingsdirectly to dispatchers in the Communications Unit via their cell...

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that injured an Okaloosa Island man around 8:15 Tuesday night outside his apartment.The 22-year old victim called 9-1-1 to say he’s been shot in the abdomen.Deputies arrived at his Bonita Avenue...

A 21-year old man is dead and his 19-year old friend is charged with manslaughter after the suspect said they were playing around with an AK-47 and he pulled the trigger thinking it was unloaded. Matthew Gunn of 1650 Highway 98 in Florosa was arrested this morning by...

A traffic crash investigation has led to the arrest of a Niceville man on a charge of DUI manslaughter in the death of a pedestrian on Highway 98 in Destin Sunday night.A witness told deputies 26-year old Dakota Theriot was speeding westbound on Harbor Boulevard...

Home surveillance video and quick action by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Fort Walton Beach Police Department led to the capture of three suspects Sunday in an armed burglary that injured one person.17-year old Nigel Fryer of Fort Walton Beach, 23-year old...

The latest efforts by the Multi-Agency Drug Task Force to put local drug dealers out of business resulted in two people being charged with operating a nuisance structure for drug activity, a third degree felony.DTF members executed a narcotics search warrant September...