- July 16, 2026
According to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, a St. Augustine man accused of stealing a gold necklace during a Facebook Marketplace transaction in Palm Coast is in custody after being arrested by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
The Sheriff's Office said detectives obtained an arrest warrant for William Walker, 44, charging him with dealing in stolen property, grand theft and unlawful use of a two-way communication device following an investigation into the July 1 incident. Detectives allege Walker stole the victim's necklace during a meeting at a Palm Coast barbershop and later contacted the victim demanding payment for its return.
Investigators said the victim had listed the gold necklace for sale on Facebook Marketplace and negotiated a $7,000 purchase price with a prospective buyer later identified as Walker. The two agreed to meet the following day at the business to complete the transaction.
Walker arrived in an Uber with an unidentified woman and told the victim his wife needed to visit an ATM to retrieve the remaining cash. While the group waited inside the barbershop, Walker allegedly walked to the window, waved, and then quickly left the business wearing the necklace before getting into a vehicle occupied by the woman and the Uber driver, who drove away.
Detectives used investigative methods to identify the vehicle and confirm Walker's identity. Investigators also connected Walker to an envelope marked "$1,200" that contained toilet paper and a St. Augustine hotel key, which the victim found after the incident.
The Sheriff's Office said the victim later received a text message on July 7 demanding $1,200 in exchange for the necklace's return. The victim agreed to meet Walker the following day, but after several attempts to arrange the exchange and Walker's alleged demand for partial payment before returning the jewelry, communication ended. Detectives then secured an arrest warrant.
The Flagler County Sheriff's Office Fugitive Apprehension Unit coordinated with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, where Walker was already being held on unrelated charges. The stolen necklace was recovered at the time of Walker's arrest.
"The victim thought he had made a legitimate business deal only to find out the suspect had always planned to steal the jewelry and then attempt to extort the victim for its return," Sheriff Rick Staly said. "This is a good reminder the Sheriff's Office has designated safe exchange meeting spots under the watchful eye of a camera at our Palm Coast District 2 office and the Sheriff's Operations Center."
Walker has an extensive criminal history that includes previous arrests for burglary, grand theft, fleeing and eluding, narcotics possession, aggravated battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and domestic battery by strangulation, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Walker remains in custody in Duval County and will face the Flagler County charges after those proceedings are complete. The Flagler County Sheriff's Office encourages anyone buying or selling items through online marketplaces to use one of its designated Safe Exchange Zones at the Sheriff's Operations Center in Bunnell or the District 2 Office in Palm Coast.
