Sheriff’s office stays silent about investigation into shooting death of woman in Parrish
Nearly a week later, silence surrounds the investigation into a shooting that left a Parrish woman dead inside her home as the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office refuses to release any new details about the unusual event.
The victim has not been identified, with the sheriff’s office saying that the family has invoked Marsy’s Law — victims’ rights legislation that was enacted in 2018 in Florida that protects a victim’s identity from being made public.
Just before 11 a.m. Monday, the victim’s neighbor heard a gunshot and ran to the home in the 4200 block of Cottage Hill Avenue in the Silverleaf subdivision in Parrish. The neighbor performed CPR on the woman until paramedics and firefighters arrived and took over.
The 30-year-old woman, however, was pronounced dead shortly after they arrived. An autopsy on the victim was preformed on Tuesday but the sheriff’s office will not allow the release of those preliminary findings, including the manner of death.
“It’s a shooting, a death investigation,” sheriff’s office spokesman Randy Warren said.
A 33-year-old man was also home at the time of the shooting, the sheriff’s office previously said, but will not say the relationship between the two. There have been no charges in the case.
Public records requests for any incident or investigative reports have been denied by the sheriff’s office, saying, “This incident has not yet made it through the approval process.”
Two children, ages 1 and 4, were taken from the home and are in the care of family, Warren confirmed late Friday. The sheriff’s office handles child welfare investigations for the Florida Department of Children and Families in Manatee County.
Second suspect in Bradenton fatal shooting still at large
Meanwhile, the second suspect wanted on charges in the shooting that left a Bradenton man dead inside an apartment complex last Saturday remains at large.
Shamar Dequez Johnson, of Bradenton, is wanted on a second-degree murder charge. Police consider him armed and dangerous.
Police found Cecil V. Richardson, 26, on Saturday when they responded to reports of a shooting inside the Preserve on 51st Apartments in the 4800 block of 51st St. W. Richardson was rushed to a hospital where he died.
The victim’s ex-girlfriend, Chanelle Michelle Lawson, has been charged as an accessory to murder.
Lawson — who lives in the same apartment complex where the shooting occurred — was present when Johnson allegedly shot Richardson, a witness told police, according to a probable cause affidavit. Lawson and Johnson then ran, jumped into Johnson’s nearby white SUV and drove off.
Lawson later admitted she dropped Johnson off somewhere and then dropped off his SUV somewhere before she was seen by the same witness walking back home. She refusing to tell detectives where she dropped Johnson off.
Lawson did tell detectives that the shooter went by the nickname “Slick” and his contact was saved in her cell phone.
Anyone with information related to the shooting is asked to contact Detective Andres Perez at 941-932-9322. Tipsters may also email information to BPDTIPS@bradentonpd.com. To remain anonymous and eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000, call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-634-8477 (TIPS). Anonymous tips may also be submitted online at ManateeCrimeStoppers.com.
This story was originally published September 17, 2021 at 2:24 PM.
