‘He’s Like A Shark’: Florida Man Convicted Of Gunning Down Coworker In Love Triangle Killing

A Florida man convicted of gunning down a mechanic who was allegedly having an affair with his wife was sentenced to life in prison last week.

Damian DeRousha, 44, was found guilty on Thursday of first-degree premeditated murder in the 2021 killing of 31-year-old county co-worker Donald Geno, according to a sentencing order obtained by Oxygen.com. Circuit Judge Karen Foxman sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Jurors deliberated for approximately two hours before coming to a verdict, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

DeRousha, his wife Shauna DeRousha, and Geno were all employed by Volusia County in Florida, prosecutors said. DeRousha, who worked in janitorial services, allegedly learned his spouse was cheating on him after he’d planted a recording device in his wife’ car, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal. 

On Feb. 4, 2021, DeRousha, who frequently carried a nine millimeter pistol to work, confronted Geno at a Daytona Beach maintenance facility about the alleged affair. In the ensuing dispute. prosecutors say DeRousha fired eight rounds at Geno, who sustained two gunshots to his back and one to his face. Prior to his arrest on-site, DeRousha later texted his wife and informed her he’d shot Geno.

“I lost my mind and shot Donald,” DeRousha told detectives under questioning, per a charging affidavit obtained by Oxygen.com.

During trial, prosecutors described Geno’s slaying as an “unprovoked, cowardly murder,” the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported

“The defendant doesn’t hesitate when he walks through that gate,” Assistant State’s Attorney Andrew Urbanak said, according to the outlet. “He’s like a shark in the water going after his prey. He walks straight to that bay where he knows Donald Geno will be.”

Matt Metz, DeRousha’s public defender, was insistent during trial that his client had acted in self-defense — and that the two gunshots that struck Geno’s back were ricochets.

“Sharks don’t have a two-minute conversation,” Metz said. “Sharks don’t come up to you politely with their hands in their jacket off their firearm and say please stop having sex with my wife. That’s not what sharks do. Damian DeRousha, he’s no shark. He’s a regular guy.”

DeRousha, who took the witness stand during trial, also testified he wasn’t upset over the alleged extramarital relationship at the time he had confronted Geno. Instead, he claimed Geno became physically violent during the altercation, swinging an object he believed to be a wrench, at him. 

“I was pretty much face-to-face talking with him telling him it had to stop,” DeRousha said, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported. “He was instantly angry, really aggravated, like he started blowing up acting like he was really pissed off at me.” 

DeRousha, however, said he had no memory of pointing his gun at Geno or pulling the trigger.

“It’s just one giant blank spot,” he explained.

Witnesses also testified to also seeing DeRousha shooting Geno while he was on the ground.

Members of Geno’s family also addressed the court before DeRousha’s sentence was handed down.

“He destroyed me,” Geno’s mother, Mary Geno read in a statement. “He took a part of me that is never going to come back.”

DeRousha’s public defender wasn’t immediately available for comment when contacted by Oxygen.com on Monday morning.