{"id":256281,"date":"2026-05-03T05:57:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T05:57:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/256281\/"},"modified":"2026-05-03T05:57:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T05:57:24","slug":"cell-phone-data-dna-testimony-all-point-to-three-suspects-in-officer-shooting-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/256281\/","title":{"rendered":"Cell phone data, DNA, testimony all point to three suspects in officer shooting case"},"content":{"rendered":"

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Prosecutors wrapped up their case Thursday in the trial of three men accused in the attempted homicide of a Tallahassee police officer<\/a>, and two home invasions.<\/p>\n

Jurors heard testimony from former Tallahassee Police detective Chris Corbitt, who went minute by minute, piecing together the movements of all three suspects that night in September 2023. <\/a><\/p>\n

Corbitt testified that starting the night Officer Caleb Babb was shot while responding to the second of two home invasions, investigators worked backwards to determine the series of events. <\/p>\n

They say the three suspects, Tyrell Guinnie, John\u2019Darious Wright and Rayhim Sanders met up at a hotel before driving to Sandpiper Street and casing the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

\"John\u2019DariousJohn\u2019Darious Wright, Rahiym Sanders and Tyrell Guinnie (left to right) are accused in the September 25 shooting of a Tallahassee Police officer.(Photos\/Tallahassee Police Department, Gainesville Police Department)<\/p>\n

Corbitt said corner store surveillance camera may have caught the first shots being fired in the first home invasion. Jurors needed to lean in to see, and Corbitt played the video several times.<\/p>\n

A wide angle old-school surveillance camera, the footage captured small bits of light near the backdoor to the Patel\u2019s home.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes Ms Cody, Mr Guinnie or Mr. Sanders family or anyone contact a law enforcement officer, there\u2019s plenty of them in the area, to say please help us extract someone from your scene that had nothing to do with this?\u201d Chief Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot to my knowledge,\u201d Corbitt responded, combatting argument from Sanders\u2019s defense attorney that he was actually a victim of the second home invasion and was simply trying to buy weed.<\/p>\n

The Patels are the first set of victims, including one of the younger Patels who was shot in the face but survived despite the bullet lodging in his neck.<\/p>\n

Prosecutors have struggled to get some of the testimony in this case. One witness who appeared Thursday had to have an ankle monitor put on after a bench warrant was issued to ensure she appeared.<\/p>\n

Identified as Ms. Cody, she emerged as a key witness who was in contact with Sanders both the hours before and after the alleged home invasion.<\/p>\n

Her testimony only began after three people were removed from the courtroom. Ms. Cody previously testified that she feared cooperating because of messages from the Sanders family, but since backed off and said it was her general fear of the police.<\/p>\n

Cappleman asked WCTV not to show her face.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I just called his family member because I didn\u2019t know what was going on. I\u2019m thinking he probably running from the police,\u201d Ms. Cody said. \u201cI didn\u2019t know what it meant. I was just trying to figure out what was going on. I got \u201chelp me\u201d (then a) location, and then I\u2019m in communication with a family member at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Police say they also obtained text messages in the immediate aftermath, where one of Sanders\u2019s girlfriends tried to pick him up, but the area was too saturated by police. <\/p>\n

\u201cShe said \u2018otw,\u2019 on the way. He said \u2018hurry up\u2019,\u201d Corbitt testified. \u201c2:35 a.m. Mr. Sanders says \u2018Please!\u2019 to which Ms. Cody responds, \u2018two minutes!\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n

Prosecutors said Wright, the only one charged in both shootings, didn\u2019t have a phone, though they say they have DNA evidence to back up their claims. <\/a><\/p>\n

The state also argued Sanders lied when he claimed to go straight back to Gainesville after inadvertently getting caught up in the second home invasion.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe locations for his handset are in Tallahassee through September 28th,\u201d Corbitt said, which is three days after the shooting.<\/p>\n

The defense teams argued the cell phone data only provides a general area, and that surveillance video from the Baymont Hotel doesn\u2019t guarantee it was those three men in the car identified by Officer Babb. <\/p>\n

Guinnie\u2019s attorney said he might be a drug dealer, he\u2019s not a home invader, while Wright\u2019s attorney said he was trying to buy drugs when the second home invasion occured.<\/p>\n

Guinnie’s counsel points out the texts about him planning to get money doesn’t per se mean he meant via a home invasion.<\/p>\n

Wright’s lawyer said Corbitt reviewed many other reports that he didn’t write personally.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Matt Hoffmann (@ByMattHoffmann) April 30, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The trial is set to conclude Friday. Each of the three defense teams and the prosecution will have their chance to present a closing argument before the case goes to the jury for a verdict.<\/p>\n

Follow a detailed breakdown of Thursday\u2019s testimony here: <\/p>\n

New: It\u2019s Day 3 of the triple attempted homicide trial of three men implicated in the near fatal shooting of TPD Police Officer Caleb Babb. <\/p>\n

Someone identified as Ms. Cody said she didn\u2019t want to testify at first because of the police, not because of the suspects. pic.twitter.com\/CW7xJzKsh3<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Matt Hoffmann (@ByMattHoffmann) April 30, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

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