ESCAMBIA - An Escambia County man in jail for murder is free Thursday night, with all charges dropped.



20 year old David Gilchrist was arrested in late October for the murder of Jared Ortiz. At the Oakcrest Lounge and Package store.



Channel Three's Laurie Bernstein joins us live from the bar with why Gilchrist's case was cleared.



Gilchrist was the second man deputies arrested in the murder of Jared Ortiz.

They even say he was the one who fired the fatal shot here inside the Oakcrest Lounge.

But Thursday, just a few blocks away from where we are standing, there is a party going on, after all charges against Gilchrist were dropped.



They had the wrong man.



Surrounded by his family and friends, over a barbeque filled with good food, David Gilchrist is finally enjoying life on the outside, where he says he belonged all along.



David Gilcrest: "I aint that type of person, i wouldnt do nothing like that."



The 20 year old spent nearly three weeks locked up in the Escambia County Jail, after prosecuters say this man, Brandon Davis, told Sheriff's deputies that Gilchrist killed Jared Ortiz.



David Gilcrest: "My name was in a line up, and he pointed me out, said i was with him that night."



David Gilcrest: "I aint never seen that dude a day in my life."



The State Attorney's Office says Davis has since recanted his statement, and with no other evidence against Gilchrist, they had no choice but to drop charges.



David Gilcrest: "They called me out of jail, told me i could go home, walked up out of there a free man, its about time they got the story right."



The news of Gilchrist's release shook up people back at the Oakcrest Lounge. They say if he is an innocent man, that means one of Ortiz's killers is still on the loose. We talked to one woman who wanted to remain anonymous.



"Scared, upset, very upset, mad, that is this guy Gilchrist didn't have anything to do with it, it scares me. And for the family of Jared Ortiz, it's back to the drawing board, still not knowing for sure who killed him."



"I'm sorry for their loss, i hope they catch whoever did this."





Brandon Davis is still charged in Jared's murder. He will appear in court tomorrow at 9am for his arraignment.



We will be there and bring you the latest details in the case.

Reporting live at the Oakcrest Lounge, Laurie Bernstein, Channel Three News.Oakcrest Lounge Murder Update