A Georgia man convicted of brutally killing his girlfriend was finally captured in Florida—two weeks after he was mistakenly released from jail, sending shockwaves through the victim’s family and igniting a manhunt across state lines.
Kathan Guzman, 22, was serving a life sentence for the 2022 murder of 19-year-old Delila Grayson. She was tragically found strangled in a bathtub, a crime Guzman admitted to. But in an alarming administrative failure, Clayton County jail staff released him late last month after allegedly overlooking paperwork that clearly stated his conviction for murder and aggravated assault by strangulation.
Sheriff Levon Allen of Clayton County confirmed the mistake, telling local news outlet WSB-TV that jail staff simply didn’t review the documents thoroughly. There’s no official word yet on whether any employees will be disciplined for the error.
Meanwhile, Delila’s family… especially her mother, Christina Grayson… was left in the dark for days. They only found out Guzman had been released when the district attorney’s office contacted them nearly a week later. “I feel like I’m a sitting duck,” Christina told WFTV-TV from her home near Orlando.
Her family began sleeping in shifts, ensuring someone was awake 24/7 while authorities combed the area. The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office even increased patrols in their neighborhood out of concern for their safety.
U.S. Marshals tracked Guzman to a residence in Ocoee, Florida, near Orlando, and arrested him without incident, bringing a sigh of relief to those who feared the worst. He is now in custody at Orange County Jail, where he awaits transport back to Georgia.
“Today we tracked him down and got him in custody,” said Michael Sonethavilay, Deputy Commander of the U.S. Marshals’ Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force.
