Man Charged with First-Degree Murder After Dispute over $15 Related to Drugs

Police say that a Tallahassee man has been arrested and charged in connection with a fatal shooting related to drugs. The 25-year-old suspect was charged in June with homicide and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The suspect was already in the Leon County Detention Facility for an unrelated charge at the time of his arrest for homicide, according to the Tallahassee Police Department news release.

According to police, on Dec. 17, 2023, officers found a man dead in the front yard of his home in the 1600 block of Keith Street. Tallahassee police say the two men were “in an ongoing dispute over approximately $15 related to illegal drugs.” The defendant sat outside the victim’s house and waited for him to come home. When he did, he shot him.

Different types of homicide in Florida 

Homicide is defined as causing the death of another person illegally. If you are charged with homicide, the least serious crime that you can face is manslaughter. Manslaughter is defined as causing the death of another person without malice aforethought. Malice aforethought means that you had evil intent when committing the crime. An example of manslaughter in Florida would be DUI manslaughter. DUI manslaughter is charged when you take someone’s life while you’re intoxicated behind the wheel of a car. There’s no intent to harm anyone, but there is culpable negligence. In other words, you have foreknowledge that driving under the influence is potentially harmful to yourself and others.

The second-least serious homicide charge is third-degree murder. Murder in the third degree is defined as killing someone else during the commission of a non-violent felony. For example, if you and a group of people are committing a burglary and someone dies during the commission of that burglary, you can be charged with third-degree murder.

In Florida, there are two kinds of second-degree murder. The first is when the suspect has a depraved (or evil) mind. They murder another person out of spite or some other factor by a dangerous act that shows no regard for human life. The difference between first- and second-degree murder is the suspect’s intent to kill a particular person. You can also be charged with felony second-degree murder which is when someone dies during the commission of a violent felony.

First-degree murder is the most serious kind of homicide charge. It occurs when someone commits a premeditated murder or a felony murder. A premeditated murder is when someone plans in advance to kill another person. In the case mentioned above, the suspect was “lying in wait” for the victim to return to his home. That shows evidence of premeditation. He will likely be charged with first-degree murder.

Talk to a Tallahassee Criminal Defense Lawyer Today 

Luke Newman, P.A. represents the interests of Tallahassee residents in criminal proceedings. Call our Tallahassee criminal defense lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin preparing your defense immediately.