Drug-Induced Paranoia Allegedly Leads Largo Man to Murder Pregnant Woman

Pinellas County authorities say a drug-fueled state of paranoia led a Largo man to take up a high-powered rifle and fatally shoot a pregnant stranger.

Javier and Elizabeth Rosado were driving home from church in their Nissan Sentra with Elizabeth’s younger brother and his 10-year-old stepdaughter on December 22 when a 2007 Buick Lucerne began to follow them down Woodlawn Street in Clearwater. Unconcerned with the vehicle at first, Javier’s calm turned to calamity when the report of a firearm exploded from its back seat and Elizabeth was mortally wounded.

Instantly realizing the dire nature of the situation in which he then found himself, Javier directed his other passengers to keep their heads low while he maneuvered the vehicle to safety. Upon reaching a place of safety he contacted authorities, but nothing he or anyone else could do would save the life of his 30-year-old wife, as the wound to her head was instantly and irreversibly fatal. Elizabeth was not the sole casualty, either. Her 13-week-old fetus joined her in death that evening.

On Friday Clearwater police announced the arrest of Charles Groucho Allen Jr., alleging him of firing the fatal shots while in the throes of cocaine-induced paranoia. Though authorities were tight lipped regarding what he allegedly told them, they revealed their belief that he felt the Rosados’ vehicle posed a threat to him that he had to neutralize. They say he was traveling to see his daughter, who resides in the area. Though the police declined to identify who and how many passengers were in Allen’s vehicle at the time of the incident, they said that those passengers were cooperating with the investigation.

Allen, who is 40 years old and lists a Largo residence as home, was booked into the Pinellas County Jail last Friday evening and is being held without bond on one count of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree murder of a pregnant woman, two counts of cocaine possession, three counts of sale of cocaine, and one count of violating probation on another charge of selling cocaine.

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.