OCOEE, Fla. — The family of Delila Grayson is relieved after learning that convicted murderer, Kathan Guzman, is back in custody after trekking to Florida when he was supposed to be in jail.
“He could of walked up and tapped me on the shoulder, that didn’t make me feel easy at all,” said Christina Grayson, mother of Delila Grayson.
After two weeks on the run, 22-year-old Kathan Guzman—convicted for the murder of 19-year-old Delila Grayson—was re-arrested Friday morning. Guzman was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Florida-Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force at his mother’s home in Ocoee.
“I’m still uneasy. However, to me he is set to serve the sentence he was supposed to serve,” said Grayson.
The hunt for Guzman started back in March when he was mistakenly released from the Clayton County Jail in Georgia, where he was serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the 2022 strangulation death of his girlfriend, Delila.
“Delila can’t speak. I speak for her. I have the sense that something needs to be said. You can’t turn an eye. And she was all for that,” said Grayson.
Grayson told Channel 9 the two had been in a relationship for several years before it ended in violence.
Grayson said she feared he would come after her family after Guzman was convicted of her daughter’s death. She said since April 8, when she found out about Guzman being out of jail from Clayton County’s District Attorney’s Office, she stayed in the house and carried a weapon around everywhere she went.
“I can’t take the dogs out before the daylight comes out. So, it’s almost like me being in prison instead of him being in prison. Now, I’m free. The cuffs are off, said Grayson.
Grayson said Friday that she is relieved to know Guzman is back in custody but said her relief was blocked by outrage.
She wondered why Guzman was still in a Clayton County jail and not state prison.
“From my understanding, when you’re convicted and you’re sentenced, within 30 days, you transfer to the state prison. He had been sitting in the jail from October until the current date. That’s five months. How do you allow that error to happen, and then not only that, a series of people I’m pretty sure he had to go through to get out of jail?” said Grayson.
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