She Begged for Protection—The System Failed. Now, Her Killer Faces the Ultimate Punishment!

Some crimes shake a family.
Some crimes shake a city.
This one shook two families, an entire community, and the justice system itself.

Two innocent lives stolen by the same man. A mother gunned down outside her child’s daycare. A veteran deputy murdered just months before retirement.

And now? The man responsible could pay with his own life.

She Knew He Was Dangerous. The System Couldn’t Save Her.

On September 16, 2022, 32-year-old Krystal Walton did what so many parents do every morning—she took her child to daycare.

She should have been safe.
She should have had years to watch her child grow up.
She should have had protection from the man who wouldn’t leave her alone.

But Orlando Mitchell had other plans.

Krystal had already filed a protective order against her ex-boyfriend. She had warned the courts that he was dangerous.

That morning, he waited for her at the daycare. Armed. Seething with rage.

As Krystal stepped out of her car, Mitchell ambushed her. He didn’t care that children and parents were watching. He didn’t care that he was in broad daylight.

He opened fire, again and again—until Krystal lay bleeding on the pavement.

Right in front of her child.

By the time police arrived, it was too late. Krystal was gone. And in an instant, a little boy was left without a mother.

A Murderer on the Run

Mitchell fled the scene, triggering a citywide manhunt. But it didn’t take long before police found him.

A violent standoff followed, but officers were able to bring him in alive.

His fate seemed sealed:
A murder conviction. A long prison sentence. Justice.

But then, he did the unthinkable.

A Deputy’s Last Day on the Job

Fast forward less than a year later—to July 10, 2023.

Inside Marion County Jail, 61-year-old Deputy John Durm was on duty. A hardworking officer with nearly four decades of service under his belt.

He was just months away from retirement.

That morning, Deputy Durm was doing a routine inmate transport—a job he had done thousands of times before.

What he didn’t know? It would be his last.

Mitchell saw his chance.

Using his own handcuffs, he attacked Deputy Durm—choking the life out of him.

A veteran officer. A husband. A father.

By the time other officers reached him, it was too late.

Now, He Faces Death

Mitchell was caught minutes later, but this time, his charges got even worse.

Prosecutors aren’t holding back.

• He murdered a mother in cold blood.

• He ignored a protective order.

• He killed again—inside a jail, under the justice system’s watch.

Now, he faces the death penalty for Deputy Durm’s murder.

His trial is set for August 2026.

But no verdict, no punishment, not even death can undo the pain he’s caused.

A Community Left Asking: How Could This Happen?

Krystal did everything right.
Deputy Durm did everything right.

And yet, both are gone.

People are left asking:

• Why wasn’t Krystal’s protective order enough?

• How did an inmate transport turn deadly?

• How do we stop dangerous men before they take more lives?

For now, all we can do is remember Krystal. Honor Deputy Durm. And demand a justice system that protects the innocent before it’s too late.

Because no family should have to suffer like theirs have.