St. Pete man accused of killing tenant who lived on his property: Deputies

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A St. Petersburg man was arrested on Thursday after deputies said he shot and killed a tenant who lived on his property.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said James Butler, 53, is now facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of Aaron Reed, 32, who was shot and killed nearly three months ago.

CRIME: Bradenton woman found guilty in deadly ‘Peace Walker’ hit-and-run crash

The backstory:

Deputies said Butler called 911 just after 8:30 p.m. on December 15, 2024, reporting that he had found the man dead, and it was his tenant who lived in a detached shed on the property. Pinellas County deputies arrived at the home, and found Reed with multiple gunshot wounds.

Booking photo of James Butler. Courtesy: Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Reed was pronounced dead at the scene, according to PCSO.

At the time, Butler told detectives that "he had no idea who would want to harm Reed." The sheriff's office also said the suspect told them that he had just arrived home after being released from jail, and found Reed dead on the living room floor.

Follow FOX 13 on YouTube

What we know:

However, detectives said they found evidence that linked Butler to Reed's murder. After arresting him on Thursday, Butler was taken to the Pinellas County Jail.

What we don't know:

PCSO has not released any other details on the case or what evidence led to Butler's connection to the murder. They did say the investigation continues.

The Source: The information in this story was released by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: