A Hillsborough County jury has convicted Ja’Quan Javontae Glymp, 36, of felony murder, armed robbery, and armed burglary for the November 2023 stabbing death of a drywall supervisor at a Tampa construction site, ending a nearly three-year case. The verdict caps a prosecution built on surveillance video, forensic evidence, and the account of the defendant’s own girlfriend.
TL;DR: A jury convicted Ja’Quan Javontae Glymp of felony murder, armed robbery, and armed burglary in the November 25, 2023 stabbing death of Manuel De Jesus Ochoa Portillo, 37, at a home under construction near Temple Terrace. The judge imposed three concurrent life sentences. Co-defendant Shamek Carter-Bowick pleaded guilty on October 5 to second-degree murder and received 55 years.
A Saturday Morning Turned Deadly
The case began early on the morning of Saturday, November 25, 2023. A co-worker of Manuel De Jesus Ochoa Portillo heard a scream and looked out an upstairs window of an under-construction townhome near Temple Terrace. He saw Ochoa, 37, out in the street, holding his side. The drywall supervisor had been stabbed multiple times in his upper body and died soon after being taken to Tampa General Hospital. Deputies responded to a 911 call around 8:30 a.m. at a home under construction at 9241 Rock Harbour Way, in the Easthaven development off Harney Road just east of Interstate 75. Investigators noted blood throughout the first floor, and deputies arrested Glymp the very next day on charges that initially included first-degree murder during a robbery.
Disguised as Workers, Caught on Camera
Prosecutors’ case leaned heavily on video and forensic evidence, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Surveillance video showed a dark-colored Mercedes backing into a driveway near the site about ten minutes before the 911 call. The driver, identified as Glymp, and a passenger got out wearing orange work vests, hard hats, and white face masks — Glymp’s hat was white, the other man’s blue.
Detectives found the masks and both hard hats in the site’s garage; blood was detected on the white hard hat and masks, and a fingerprint on the white hat matched Glymp. Around 1:30 a.m. the next day, a detective spotted the Mercedes — which carried a fake, expired temporary tag — on Hillsborough Avenue and made a traffic stop. He drove a car registered to him.
Glymp’s girlfriend told investigators she overheard Carter-Bowick tell Glymp that he had stabbed someone and that the victim would not hold still — with blood on his hands and clothing.
From First-Degree Murder to Felony Murder
At the close of testimony, Judge Lyann Goudie acquitted Glymp of first-degree premeditated murder, finding insufficient evidence that he planned the killing. The jury instead convicted him of felony murder — the Florida charge for a death occurring during certain felonies, such as robbery and burglary, which carries no premeditation requirement.
Goudie sentenced Glymp to three concurrent life sentences, the mandatory punishment. Before sentencing, Ochoa’s loved ones remembered him as a family man whose 10-year-old son is growing up without a father. The Hillsborough Public Defender’s Office declined to comment, and State Attorney Suzy Lopez’s office said it hopes the resolution brings the family some measure of justice.
Court records show Glymp had previously served state prison time for burglary, false information to a pawn broker, and trafficking in stolen property.
The Co-Defendant’s 55-Year Plea
The verdict came five days after Glymp’s co-defendant, Shamek Carter-Bowick, 26, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder, along with armed robbery and armed burglary. Carter-Bowick signed a plea agreement with prosecutors on October 5 and was sentenced to 55 years in prison, having faced up to life.
Carter-Bowick was arrested in Fayetteville, North Carolina, about a month after the killing. His sentencing was delayed by a competency dispute: a 2024 court-appointed doctor found him mentally ill and incompetent to proceed, while a second doctor concluded he was malingering. After re-evaluation in 2025, Judge Elizabeth Rice ruled him competent. His attorney, Kim Seace, declined to comment.
FAQ
Who was convicted in the Tampa construction-site murder?
Ja’Quan Javontae Glymp, 36, was convicted by a jury of felony murder, armed robbery, and armed burglary. The judge imposed three concurrent life sentences, the mandatory punishment.
Who was the victim in the Tampa stabbing?
Manuel De Jesus Ochoa Portillo, 37, a drywall supervisor, was stabbed multiple times in his upper body at a home under construction near Temple Terrace on November 25, 2023. He died at Tampa General Hospital. His family described him as a family man with a 10-year-old son.
What happened to the co-defendant?
Shamek Carter-Bowick, 26, pleaded guilty on October 5 to second-degree murder, armed robbery, and armed burglary under a plea deal with prosecutors. He was sentenced to 55 years in prison.
What evidence linked Glymp to the killing?
Surveillance video showed Glymp and a passenger in orange work vests, hard hats, and face masks near the site minutes before the 911 call. A fingerprint matching Glymp was found on a bloody hard hat recovered at the scene, and his girlfriend told investigators she overheard Carter-Bowick admit to the stabbing.
What is felony murder in Florida?
Under Florida law, felony murder occurs when someone is killed during the commission of certain felonies, such as robbery or burglary. It does not require proof that the defendant planned the killing, and it is classified as a capital felony.
Why was the first-degree murder charge dropped?
Judge Lyann Goudie granted an acquittal on first-degree premeditated murder after trial testimony, ruling there was insufficient evidence that Glymp planned to kill Ochoa. The jury convicted him of felony murder instead.
Did Glymp have a prior criminal record?
Yes. Records show Glymp previously served time in state prison for burglary, giving false information to a pawn broker, and trafficking in stolen property.
Where exactly did the killing happen?
The stabbing occurred at a home under construction at 9241 Rock Harbour Way in the Easthaven development off Harney Road, just east of Interstate 75 near Temple Terrace in the Tampa area.
