Roger Fortson: Mother Speaks After Ex-Deputy's Acquittal

Roger Fortson, a 23-year-old U.S. Air Force senior airman, was shot at the front door of his apartment in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, on May 3, 2024, by a sheriff's deputy answering a disturbance call, and he died at a hospital. On Thursday, October 1, 2026, an Okaloosa County jury found the former deputy, Eddie Duran, not guilty of manslaughter with a firearm.

In the days since the verdict, Fortson's mother, Chantemekki Fortson, has spoken publicly about the outcome and about the jury that decided it. The criminal case is over, but a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by the family is still pending.

Who Was Roger Fortson?

Fortson was a senior airman assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, the Air Force base near Fort Walton Beach. According to WEAR-TV, Hurlburt Field said he entered active duty on November 19, 2019. The Associated Press reported that he was part of an AC-130J Ghostrider aircrew.

His funeral was held on May 17, 2024, at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church near Atlanta, ABC News reported.

Captain Malcolm Lee, an AC-130 pilot who served with him, said in 2024, in remarks carried by WEAR-TV: "Roger accomplished more than most do in a lifetime, in just 23 short years."

What Happened in Fort Walton Beach?

On Friday, May 3, 2024, Duran was sent to Fortson's apartment complex on a reported domestic disturbance. ABC News and the Associated Press reported that Fortson was alone in his apartment and on the phone with his girlfriend. Authorities later determined he was not involved in any disturbance, according to TheGrio.

Body camera video described by the Associated Press shows the deputy knocking and twice announcing that he was from the sheriff's office. Fortson opened the door holding a handgun that he legally owned, pointed toward the floor. Duran fired within seconds. Fortson died later that night at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, public radio station WUWF reported.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office at first said the deputy had acted in self-defense, the Associated Press reported. On May 31, 2024, the agency fired Duran after an internal affairs investigation concluded that his use of deadly force "was not objectively reasonable and therefore violated agency policy," as quoted by WEAR-TV. In August 2024, the State Attorney's Office charged him with one count of manslaughter with a firearm, which carried a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

What Did the Jury Hear?

Jury selection began on Monday, September 28, 2026. Duran, who pleaded not guilty, testified on Wednesday, September 30, that he believed his life was in danger and that the gun was pointed at an upward angle. ABC News reported he told jurors that when the door opened he thought, "I'm dead."

Assistant State Attorney Mark Alderman disputed that account in his closing argument. "That gun was pointed at the ground the entire time," he said, according to WEAR-TV. He argued that Fortson made no aggressive move and could not have known who was outside his door.

Defense attorney Rod Smith argued that Duran followed his training and acted out of a reasonable fear, and that he had no motive to harm a man he had never met. Smith called the death a tragedy but said it was not a crime.

WUWF reported that eight jurors heard closing arguments on Thursday before two alternates were dismissed. The remaining jurors deliberated for about two hours and returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty.

Duran was presumed innocent throughout the trial, and the verdict means he has been cleared of the criminal charge. The claims in the family's civil lawsuit are allegations that have not been proven in court.

What Has Roger Fortson's Mother Said?

Chantemekki Fortson told Atlanta station 11Alive, in remarks quoted by Bossip, that the length of the deliberations left her unsurprised by the result. She said she had not been asking for the former deputy to spend his life in prison. "I just wanted you to tell the truth," she said. Of her son, she said: "He's never coming back."

TheGrio reported on Wednesday, October 7, that she also told Atlanta Black Star that the final jury was made up of six white men, and that she believes race influenced the outcome and that Black jurors should have been seated. TheGrio attributed the description of the jury to her. WUWF separately reported that the only woman on the panel was one of the two alternates dismissed before deliberations.

What Prosecutors and Attorneys Have Said

State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden said in a statement carried by WJHG: "We respect the jury's verdict and thank the jurors for their service." Her office said the verdict means the state did not prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt, and that it does not diminish Fortson's life, service or humanity. The office asked the public to respond peacefully and to respect the family's dignity.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents the family, said on Friday, October 2, that the family is heartbroken. "Roger's life and his service will always matter," he said in a statement quoted by Bossip.

What Happens Next?

The criminal case ended with the jury's decision. What remains is the civil case. In May 2025, the Fortson family and Crump filed a five-count federal lawsuit against Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden, Duran and others, WEAR-TV reported. That lawsuit is pending, and Crump has said the family will continue to seek accountability in federal court. None of the reports reviewed for this article gave a trial date for the civil case.

Timeline of the Roger Fortson Case

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Eddie Duran convicted in the death of Roger Fortson?

No. On October 1, 2026, an Okaloosa County jury found him not guilty of manslaughter with a firearm, the only charge he faced.

Why was a deputy at Roger Fortson's apartment?

Duran was responding to a reported domestic disturbance at the apartment complex. Fortson was alone in his apartment, and authorities later determined he was not involved in a disturbance.

Is there still a lawsuit over Roger Fortson's death?

Yes. The family's federal civil rights lawsuit, filed in May 2025 against Sheriff Eric Aden, Duran and others, is pending.

MotiveX covers cases like this in documentary form on YouTube.

Sources

• WEAR-TV: Report on the not guilty verdict, trial testimony and background
• WUWF: Report on closing arguments, the jury and the verdict
• WJHG: State Attorney's statement after the verdict
• WJHG: Report on the jury's verdict
• ABC News: Report on the verdict and reaction from both sides
• Associated Press via WRAL: Report on the acquittal
• TheGrio: Report on Chantemekki Fortson's comments about the jury
• TheGrio: Report on the verdict
• Bossip: Report on the family's reaction to the verdict
• NPR: 2024 report on the manslaughter charge
• WPTV: 2024 report on the Air Force identifying Roger Fortson