By Danny Valentine, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
ST. PETERSBURG — A fight between two men ended in death Tuesday morning at a home in the 4600 block of 22nd Avenue S.
Troy A. Charles, 48, of St. Petersburg, crept into Samuel Harper's house through an unlocked door early Tuesday morning and started an argument with him, police said.
It's unclear why they were arguing, police said, but at some point Charles pulled out a gun and shot Harper, 41, in the head.
Harper's girlfriend ran next door to call police, who arrived at the house at 4698 22nd Ave. S about 2:40 a.m., police said. They found Harper wounded in the bedroom. He was pronounced dead a short time later.
Charles was arrested later Tuesday at the Back to Life Rehabilitation Center, 2211 44th St. S., where he works as a facility coordinator. Police said they found a handgun at the center, but it was unclear Tuesday if it is the murder weapon.
Harper was arrested on Feb. 14 in connection with a burglary at the rehab center. Investigators weren't sure whether that was connected to the shooting Tuesday.
Charles was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder and taken the Pinellas County Jail, where he was held without bail.