VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A former Volusia County employee on trial for the February 2021 fatal shooting of his coworker at “point blank” range over the victim’s alleged affair with his wife was found guilty of first-degree murder on Thursday and sentenced to life in prison, court records show.
Damian DeRousha, 44, was first arrested on Feb. 4, 2021, in the shooting of 31-year-old Donald Geno at a vehicle maintenance facility in Daytona Beach, where DeRousha’s wife also worked. Sheriff Mike Chitwood said DeRousha was found sitting in his pickup truck after shooting Geno, and that he admitted to doing it.
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“Somebody made up their mind they were going to commit a murder today,” Chitwood said. “. . .The impetus behind this as part of the investigation is there seems to be some type of love triangle here.”
According to a report filed by deputies, DeRousha told investigators that he “lost his mind” upon becoming aware of the alleged affair earlier that morning.
“He drove here, got out of his car, walked into the garage (and) confronted the individual about an inappropriate relationship with his wife,” Chitwood said.
Witnesses to the shooting told investigators that DeRousha was “very cool and collected” throughout, with at least one witness who claimed DeRousha shot Geno once more after he fell to the ground, deputies said. After the last shot, DeRousha allegedly placed the gun down next to Geno before getting in the truck, waiting for law enforcement to arrive.
DeRousha was indicted by a grand jury on a first-degree murder charge on April 26, 2021. On Thursday, Circuit Judge Karen Foxman sentenced DeRousha to life in prison for the premeditated killing of Geno.