Slaying Over Illegal Drugs in Largo Hotel Leads to Murder Charge for Transient Man

Pinellas County officials say an argument over illicit drugs precipitated a murder in a motel in Largo, and have charged a transient man in connection with the killing.

Authorities say Angel Enrigue Martinez became enmeshed in a disagreement with Ricky Garland in the hotel room he had been calling home. Although the exact nature of their relationship remains a matter of speculation, PCSO deputies say that they failed to come to an agreement late in the evening of May 25th, and, according to investigators, Martinez ended the dispute by firing upon Garland in the parking lot in front of his room.

Paramedics arrived at the scene shortly after the altercation and transported Garland to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries just over an hour later.

Martinez was arrested the next day and booked into the Pinellas County Jail on a charge of second-degree murder. He is being held without bond. Also arrested in connection with the killing was Larrisha Lasharntay Williams, who police say is Martinez’s girlfriend. She was charged with two counts of child abuse due to allegations by deputies that she left her children alone and unsupervised at the time of the murder. Williams posted a $10,000 bond and was released a few days later.

The Law Offices of Bjorn Brunvand have been representing people charged with capital murder, felony drug charges, drunk driving, government fraud, and white-collar crimes for over a quarter century. Contact our office today to discuss your Tampa Bay-area state or federal charges.