Argument over female may have led to fatal shooting of man in Bradenton

BRADENTON -- An argument over a woman may have cost Keyvis McCullough his life.

Officials with the Bradenton Police Department on Sunday suggested that the 30-year-old McCullough and a suspect, 22-year-old Kelly B. McPherson, may have had a dispute over a female that led to McCullough's shooting death in the 700 block of 12th Avenue West, Bradenton at 1 p.m. Saturday.

"We don't know the motive for sure, but we have got some speculation," Bradenton police Lt. James Racky said Sunday. "What we are getting from talk in the neighborhood is that it was an argument over a female."

As of Sunday afternoon, McPherson, 22, was still at large, Racky said.

Witnesses told Bradenton detectives that McPherson was seen walking toward 10th Avenue West and 8th Street West in Bradenton after the shooting.

But a search of an old address that McPherson had in that area turned up nothing, Racky said.

"We sent the SWAT team to an old address he had right off 10th Avenue West and 8th Street West and the lady said he didn't live there anymore," Racky said. "All the other addresses we have for him are much older. We have no idea where he could be. But we need to get him off the streets before he hurts someone else."

Racky believes McPherson is being hid by someone, which Racky says is not a good idea for the accomplice.

"Someone knows where Mr. McPherson is at, and that person is hiding him," Racky said. "If I find out who that is, we will take them to jail also."

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office homicide investigative unit and Bradenton Police Department detectives are both working on the case.

"I have no updates today, and I would have heard if he was found," Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowski said Sunday of McPherson.

Witnesses told police that a suspect, who was later identified as McPherson, walked up to a victim, later identified as McCullough, and shot him three times.

Officers found McCullough on the ground with gunshot wounds. McCullough was taken to Blake Medical Center where he died, according to a Bradenton Police Department report.

The house where the shooting took place is the same one where Zorry Jenkins Jr., 16, was killed in 2014 while sitting outside of the home, Racky said.

"Mr. Jenkins and Mr. McCullough died within several feet of each other," Racky added.

No one has been arrested in that case.

Racky said he hopes the motive for the killing was not a fight over a female.

"I would hope one person wouldn't kill someone else over a female," Racky said. "We are hoping to get a solid motive when we catch him, and we will catch him, and he will answer for the crime he committed."

The killing of McCullough brought the number of homicides in Manatee County in 2015 to about a dozen.

Last year, there were eight murders through August and 17 for the entire year.

Anyone with information on the murder of McCullough is asked to call Bradenton detective Jim Curulla at 941-747-3011, ext. 2224, or remain anonymous and eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000 by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-866-634-8477 (TIPS) or send an anonymous e-tip to manateecrimestoppers.com.

Richard Dymond, Herald reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7072 or contact him via Twitter @RichardDymond.

This story was originally published September 7, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Argument over female may have led to fatal shooting of man in Bradenton."