An Orange Park man has been indicted on a first-degree murder charge in the shooting death of his neighbor.
Ralph Javier Muma was rearrested just after the panel handed down the indictment Feb. 9. He had been jailed since Jan. 8 without bond on an open count of murder.
Muma, 48, is accused of killing Ralph Rodney Forehand on Dec. 28. Forehand lived across the street from Muma and his family — had even helped them string Christmas lights. He was gunned down in the driveway of his next-door neighbor’s home in the Heritage Hills subdivision off Blanding Boulevard. He was shot four times and died at the scene, despite efforts by fire rescue personnel to save him.
The indictment charges Muma used a 22-caliber rifle to kill the 43-year-old Forehand.
The day of the shooting, witnesses told detectives they saw a blue sport utility vehicle speeding from the scene. As they canvassed the area, detectives discovered security cameras on some of the homes. Using those surveillance videos, the investigators were able to link Muma to the car.
Within 10 days of the murder, detectives had a warrant for Muma’s arrest. Officers were prepared to scour the neighborhood to find the suspect, but in a stroke of good luck, the lead detective on the case, Dan Mahla, saw Muma riding a bicycle in the vicinity of the crime; he was arrested there.
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