Zed Washington Sentenced to Life for Fatal Live Oak Armed Robbery

Life Sentence Handed Down in 2025 Live Oak Fatal Robbery

Zed Washington will spend the rest of his life in prison for his role in the February 2025 fatal shooting of 24-year-old Joseph Simmons. The sentencing, which concluded a legal process stemming from a violent encounter in Live Oak, Florida, was confirmed by the Live Oak Police Department. Washington entered a guilty plea this past Thursday to charges of second-degree murder, robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery.

The incident, which ultimately claimed Simmons’ life, began on February 21, 2025. Officers responding to a scene on Southwest Johnson Avenue discovered Simmons inside a wrecked vehicle, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the location after his car crashed into a pile of wood as he attempted to drive away from the assailants.

The Sequence of the Attack

Investigators from the Live Oak Police Department determined that the robbery was not a random act of violence, but a planned confrontation. According to police reports, Simmons and 18-year-old Tara Williams had established a relationship through social media. It was Williams who allegedly initiated the contact that brought Simmons to the intersection of Southwest Johnson Avenue that day.

Evidence gathered by detectives suggests that Williams coordinated the robbery with two other individuals: Zed Washington and 17-year-old Zac’Tavious Webb. As Simmons arrived at the designated meeting spot, Washington and Webb allegedly approached the vehicle with the intent to commit a robbery at gunpoint. When Simmons resisted the attempt, he was shot. He managed to put the vehicle in motion, but the severity of the wound led to the fatal crash shortly after.

Legal Status of Co-Defendants

The arrest of the three suspects followed in March 2025. While Washington has now been sentenced to life in prison, the legal proceedings for the other two individuals involved remain active. Both Tara Williams and Zac’Tavious Webb, who were 18 and 17 respectively at the time of the incident, were charged with felony murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, and tampering with evidence. They are currently awaiting their own sentencing hearings.

This case highlights the severe legal consequences of felony murder charges in Florida, where participation in a robbery that results in a death can lead to life imprisonment, regardless of whether the defendant was the one who pulled the trigger. The prosecution’s success in securing a guilty plea from Washington marks a significant step in closing the criminal case for the Live Oak Police Department, though the court process continues for the remaining defendants.