Daytron W. Etkins, 41, of Eustis, was arrested August 7, 2026, and charged as an accessory after the fact in connection with a downtown DeLand double homicide. Investigators allege he helped conceal evidence and aided his son, 17-year-old Keyan Rundell, who faces two counts of second-degree murder.
The investigation into the July 29 shooting deaths of 19-year-old Dustin Rose and 18-year-old Samson Campbell widened significantly when law enforcement took a second suspect into custody. Daytron W. Etkins of Eustis was arrested by the DeLand Police Department at his Bates Avenue residence around 6:49 a.m.
According to police, Etkins is the father of Keyan Rundell, the 17-year-old arrested days earlier in Manatee County and charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Rose and Campbell. Court records and police statements outline a trail of alleged cover-up activities that investigators say followed the late-night shooting behind a downtown DeLand theater.
The Arrest of Keyan Rundell in Ellenton
The primary suspect’s apprehension unfolded on the morning of August 5, 2026. U.S. Marshals tracked 17-year-old Keyan Rundell to the Super 8 Motel located at 5218 17th St. E. in Ellenton, a community near Bradenton roughly 15 miles north of Sarasota County.
Members of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Warrants Unit, along with deputies and a K-9 unit, located Rundell in Room 126. Randy Warren, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office, confirmed the suspect offered no resistance. He answered the door and was taken into custody without incident,
Warren stated in an email.
DeLand Police Chief Jason D. Umberger announced the arrest during a press conference alongside representatives from the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, and State Attorney R.J. Larizza. State Attorney Larizza emphasized that gun violence by juveniles would not be tolerated and confirmed that Rundell will be prosecuted as an adult. Rundell was initially held in the Manatee County jail pending extradition back to Volusia County.
Surveillance, E-Bike Seizure, and the Search for Motive
Police stated that Rose and Campbell were discovered dead behind a trailer in an industrial lot behind the Athens Theatre at 213 W. New York Ave. around 10:40 p.m. on July 29. Both victims had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Chief Umberger reported that investigators spent roughly 1,200 hours pursuing leads from the moment the bodies were found.
By the afternoon of July 30, detectives had obtained surveillance footage of an unidentified person of interest. Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners traced evidence to a home on Loughton Street in the Glenwood Springs subdivision, where authorities executed a search warrant on August 1. Investigators recovered clothing believed worn by the suspect during the killings, along with an e-bike he allegedly rode to and from the scene.
Chief Umberger noted that the three acquaintances met at the concealed downtown location on Tuesday evening, July 28.
“At this time we cannot speak to the exact motive, and we have limited information that points to why or for what reasons the three of them came together at the rear of 213 W. New York Ave., in that very concealed area of our downtown.”
Chief Jason Umberger, DeLand Police Department
Umberger added that these young men knew each other in some capacity and met up on Tuesday evening, July 28, at that location, and that this meeting resulted in the shooting of multiple rounds and murders of Dustin Rose and Samson Campbell.
According to police background details, Rundell possessed a criminal history that included prior arrests for aggravated battery and aggravated assault. Police also confirmed that Rose, a Citadel cadet and South Carolina Army National Guard member who grew up in DeLeon Springs, was home on break, while Campbell had recently moved to Chicago.
Accusations Against the Father: The Charging Affidavit
The investigation into the father’s alleged involvement centers on actions taken immediately after the shooting. According to the charging affidavit detailed by WKMG, investigators interviewed a 13-year-old witness who claimed Rundell called his father shortly after the gunfire, stating he left the gun there.
The witness told detectives that Daytron Etkins arrived approximately 10 minutes later, picked up his son, and that the teenager indicated his father was coming to retrieve the firearm. Surveillance footage reviewed by detectives reportedly captured Etkins and the teenager burning items behind their residence using a charcoal grill and an accelerant from a small red gas can, actions consistent with destroying clothing and evidence. Detectives also documented travel patterns on video indicating Etkins actively helped his son evade law enforcement.
Capt. Prurince Dice of the DeLand Police Department addressed the family dynamics during the announcement of the arrest.
“We want to be clear, assisting or concealing a person wanted in connection with a homicide is a serious matter that we will not ignore or tolerate. Family relationships do not place anyone above the law or excuse conduct that interferes with a criminal investigation.”
Capt. Prurince Dice, DeLand Police Department
Self-Defense Claims and Ongoing Investigation
During her interview with police, the 13-year-old witness offered an account of the confrontation behind the Athens Theatre. She claimed Rundell told her he was selling marijuana to Campbell and Rose, and that the two victims attempted to rob him.
According to her statement to investigators, one of the victims carried a firearm while the other had pepper spray, prompting Rundell to fire in self-defense. When asked why Rundell did not contact authorities to report a self-defense shooting, the witness claimed he did not think anyone would want to hear it because ‘he’s Black and they’re White.’
Despite this witness statement, police have emphasized that the inquiry remains active and expansive. Chief Umberger warned that further arrests remain possible for anyone who assisted in planning the crime, destroying evidence, or harboring the suspect.
“I want to stress that additional arrests may be made in this case. Investigators are focusing on any individuals who may have planned, aided or otherwise assisted Keyan in perpetrating the crime or concealing or destroying evidence of the crime or anyone who may have assisted him flee or who may have been harboring him.”
Chief Jason Umberger, DeLand Police Department
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