HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. – A Georgia man arrested in connection with one of two deadly shootings at Ginnie Springs over Memorial Day weekend told investigators his brother was the shooter and called him “crazy” during an interview with Gilchrist County deputies, according to his arrest report.
Two brothers from St. Marys, Georgia, Fisher and Dallas Watts, were arrested on May 25, just hours after an argument over a parking spot at the park turned deadly.
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According to the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office, what started as an argument turned into two groups getting into a fight an hour before the shooting. It was assumed the fights were resolved, but Koty Stewart, 34, of Jacksonville, was found shot to death between two parked cars near the Beaver’s Landing bathhouse.
A detective got video footage of the fight, and Dallas Watts, 21, was identified as one of the people seen in the video.
A witness, who was a close friend of Stewart, told investigators that their group got into a fight because Dallas Watts parked in their camping area and refused to move his truck. The witness also said he thought the incident was over because he saw that the parties involved “shook hands and went about their business.”
But that was not the case.
About an hour later, the witness and his girlfriend were standing near Dallas Watts’ truck, and he stated that when he looked at the truck, he saw “a bright light, like a light on a gun, and thought to himself, that it was a gun.” After seeing that, the witness said he decided to return to their camping spot to get a drink and get away. As he walked past the truck and arrived at their camping spot, he heard several gunshots. He then said he saw Stewart lying on the ground next to the truck and saw Dallas Watts exit the driver’s side and run around “waving a gun at everyone.”
According to the arrest report, several other witnesses also identified Dallas Watts as having and displaying a gun.
The arrest report states that witnesses pointed Dallas Watts out to law enforcement officers as he was hiding behind a tree watching the crime scene.
A sergeant started walking toward him, and Dallas Watts instantly stood up and turned his back to the sergeant “almost in a jog/spring but attempting to take flight,” the report states. That’s when the sergeant and a lieutenant started giving commands to stop while running after him, but he kept walking.
Deputies ultimately took him to the ground and put him in handcuffs.
Initially, Dallas Watts was identified as the possible shooter in the video and was taken to the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office for an interview.
At first, Dallas Watts denied knowing anything about the shooting, according to his arrest report.
But he later admitted to being a convicted felon who was currently on supervised probation with conditions of no alcohol, drugs, firearms or ammunition. He also told deputies he had a gun “for protection.”
Detective Sergeant Rolling contacted the Department of Community Supervision and learned Dallas was convicted in 2021 for robbery by force and he was sentenced to 14 years of probation.
Investigators later searched the truck and found suspected blood on the outside of the truck and a 9mm Glock handgun in the bed.
During a second interview, Dallas Watts provided a timeline of the events leading to the shooting, along with a description of Stewart, the arrest report states.
During that interview, Dallas Watts said that he and his brother Fisher Watts were sitting in his truck when his brother shot Stewart.
He then said as soon as he heard the shots, he opened the driver’s side door and jumped out of the truck. He told investigators that his brother “is crazy and that he had nothing to do with the shooting of the victim.” He also told deputies that Fisher Watts had a Glock 40 caliber gun, according to the arrest report.
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Fisher Watts, 18, fled Ginnie Springs after the murder and was later located and arrested in Camden County.
Fisher Watts was charged with first-degree murder.
Dallas Watts was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and resisting arrest without violence.
