Entries by john chambliss

Man, 19, convicted of beating his mother with a baseball bat

A 19-year-old Lakeland man was convicted Thursday of severely beating his mother with an aluminum baseball bat inside their home after she told him he could no longer speak with his girlfriend. Ray Gravitt, who was 16 when he struck Kelly Rayn, was convicted of attempted first degree murder. Gravitt is expected to be sentenced […]

Lakeland man guilty of sexually assaulting 12-year-old girl

It only took jurors 80 minutes to find a 39-year-old Lakeland man guilty on Thursday of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl. Jose Vargas is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 18. He faces life in prison. Assistant State Attorney Courtney Durden prosecuted the case. She told jurors that DNA evidence linked Vargas to the assault. […]