A Palm Coast man has been arrested on multiple felony charges after DNA evidence linked him to a vehicle burglary that occurred in December 2024.
Joshua Davis, 20, of Palm Coast, turned himself in to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on January 18 after detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest. He faces charges of burglary while armed, petit theft, and criminal mischief. He is being held on a $52,000 bond.
The investigation began on December 10, 2024, when deputies responded to a vehicle burglary in the P-Section of Palm Coast. The victim reported that her unlocked vehicle had been entered overnight and rummaged through. A knife had been stolen from the center console. The victim told deputies the ignition system had been tampered with, and she believed whoever entered the vehicle used the stolen knife to attempt to start and steal the car. The victim also found blood on the floorboard under the driver’s seat and on the ignition system.
Deputies reviewed home security camera video from a neighboring residence that captured the burglary. The footage showed an individual dressed in all black walking down the street, entering the victim’s driveway, entering the vehicle, and then walking away.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigations Unit collected a blood swab from the scene for potential DNA evidence. The evidence was sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for testing.
On January 7, 2026, FDLE informed the Sheriff’s Office that the Combined DNA Index System identified a match between the DNA profile collected from the blood at the scene and that of a previous offender, Joshua Davis. Once General Assignment Unit detectives had a suspect, they met with the victim, who confirmed she did not know Davis.
Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Davis on January 16. Two days later, Davis turned himself in.
“When you cut yourself and leave blood at the scene, there’s really no point in hiding, because once the DNA evidence came in, we proved this guy was our suspect and detectives quickly obtained an arrest warrant,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “He must have thought for over a year that he had gotten away with it. So, rather than spend more time looking over his shoulder, he did the smart thing and turned himself in to the Green Roof Inn. This is also a good reminder for our residents to always keep their car locked and a warning to criminals that we don’t give up. It might take a while to build the case, but if you commit a crime in Flagler County, we are coming for you no matter how long it takes!”
The General Assignment Unit is investigating two other vehicle burglaries reported in the P-Section during the same time frame, both with broken ignition systems. Additional charges may be added depending on the results of those investigations.
Davis was previously arrested in June 2025 for grand theft in Flagler Beach.
