Murder Trial in Burrow’s Case began with jury selection on Tuesday

The First Degree Murder trial in the Joyce Burrow case began on Tuesday, March 6, with the start of jury selection for the trial.
Joyce Burrow, 55 of Bell was found laying in the roadway in front of her home on July 24, 2013, at 3 a.m. Burrow was later pronounced dead at Shands Hospital.
Known locally as “Ms. Joyce”, Burrow had retired the year before after working at Hitchcock’s Foodway in Trenton for 26 years.
Michael Darnell Porter, 53, of Archer, was arrested and charged with Second Degree Murder. Porter was arrested at 5 p.m., on August 3, 2013, after he crossed the state line from Alabama back into Florida. Porter was being held at the Levy County Jail on $14 million bond after his arrest. Gilchrist Sheriff Bobby Schultz announced at a press conference held on August 3, 2013, that he believed that the person that was allegedly responsible for Burrow’s death had been arrested. Later the charge was changed to First Degree Murder.
At the time of Porter’s arrest Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office believed that Burrow was trying to escape Porter when she fled her home, which is located at 3500 NW 25th Circle in Bell, just before 3 a.m. on July 24, 2013. Investigators have determined that Porter allegedly broke into Burrow’s home, robbed and raped her before striking her with a motor vehicle in her driveway as she tried to escape.
Before her death, Burrow was still responsive and was able to tell deputies that she was trying to escape an intruder.
The trial will be held at the Gilchrist County Courthouse and is expected to proceed as soon as a jury is selected.
Michael Porter will be tried on three counts: First Degree Murder, Burglary of an Occupied Dwelling and Sexual Battery.