Acquaintance charged with murder in Jacksonville man's death

Victim found slain inside Gainesville apartment Saturday morning

Montric Thomas Jr. (Photo via Alachua County Sheriff's Office)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Detectives on Saturday arrested an acquaintance in the shooting death of a Jacksonville man who was found slain inside a Gainesville apartment over the weekend, authorities said Monday.

Montric Montreal Thomas Jr., 21, turned himself in at a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office substation Saturday several hours after authorities named him as a person of interest in the killing of Jeremy Alexander Provin.

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Thomas was booked on out-of-county warrants for murder, evidence tampering, witness tampering and possession of a firearm by a delinquent into the Duval County jail, where records show he remains in custody on $1.8 million bond.

Provin, 21, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the chest at Fox Hollow Apartments by deputies answering an emergency call about 7:30 a.m. Saturday, according to a news release provided by an Alachua County Sheriff's Office spokesperson.

Sgt. Brett Rhodenizer said investigators were notified of the shooting after someone who lives at the apartment, whose identity was not released, contacted a neighbor. He said deputies have since learned Provin and Thomas, who knew each other, had been staying at the apartment for several months.

Thomas was gone by the time deputies arrived, but investigators later identified him as a person of interest in the case. According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, authorities made contact Saturday with Thomas' loved ones, who convinced him to surrender.