The Night He Brought Her Home: The Murder of Colby Vinson
The Night He Brought Her Home: The Murder of Colby Vinson
In March of 2023, 24-year-old Colby Vinson was finally stepping into the role he had always wanted. After a bitter and contentious year-long court battle with his ex, Rachiel Moore, a judge officially granted Colby 50/50 custody of their four-year-old daughter, Preslee. Colby was ecstatic. He had purchased a new bed for his apartment and was eagerly counting down the days until he could bring his little girl home.
The long-awaited reunion took place on the evening of March 19. Colby picked up Preslee at a Publix parking lot in Navarre, Florida, took her to visit his parents, and then headed back to his apartment. But at approximately 9:30 p.m., the quiet night was shattered by a single gunshot. Neighbors rushed outside to find Colby lying on the concrete walkway outside his front door, fatally shot in the face. Standing just feet away from his body was four-year-old Preslee.
A Custody Battle Turned Deadly
Investigators initially suspected a robbery gone wrong, as Colby's front door was wide open and groceries were still sitting on the floor inside. However, none of his valuables were missing. This was a targeted execution. Detectives immediately focused their attention on the bitter custody dispute and brought Rachiel in for questioning.
While Rachiel initially played the role of a grieving ex, her facade quickly crumbled. Police uncovered a digital paper trail of text messages between Rachiel and her former stepfather, Jason Curtis. On the exact day Colby won custody, Rachiel had texted Jason to vent her frustrations. Jason offered to "hunt him down," to which Rachiel chillingly replied, "Not much hunting. I have an address." She then instructed Jason to use whatever weapon was easiest to carry and handed him fifty dollars in gas money to make the five-hour drive from Alabama down to Navarre.
The Evidence That Sealed Their Fate
When police brought Jason in for questioning, his arrogant demeanor proved to be his downfall. During the interrogation, Jason accidentally revealed that he knew Colby had been shot before detectives ever mentioned a firearm. Combined with license plate recognition cameras placing his girlfriend's car at the scene and a handwritten stalking note found inside the vehicle containing Colby's physical description, work address, and apartment number, the evidence against both conspirators was overwhelming.
A search of Jason's home also recovered a .38 caliber shell casing that matched the mechanics of the crime. Meanwhile, investigators confirmed that Jason and his girlfriend had been at the very same Publix shopping plaza as the custody handoff earlier that evening, watching and waiting.
Justice for Colby
The legal proceedings moved with remarkable speed. In April 2024, a Santa Rosa County jury found Rachiel guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and tampering with evidence. She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole that same day. Just days later, Jason was also convicted of first-degree premeditated murder and received the same sentence.
Before the judge pronounced Jason's sentence, Colby's family delivered heartbreaking victim impact statements. His stepfather, Brad, looked directly at Jason and said, "You blew Colby's face off right in front of his little daughter. How is that helping a baby? It's not. She was left there with the door open, screaming, 'My daddy, my daddy,' and you just walked away." His mother, Megan, shared that the last text she ever received from her son read, "Thank you. We're both happy," sent less than thirty minutes before his life was taken.
Today, Preslee is being raised by Colby's loving parents, Megan and Brad, who continue to honor his memory every single day.
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