ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A St. Petersburg man has been arrested and charged with the murder of his tenant, who was found shot to death in December 2024.
On December 15th, deputies from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call at a residence on 68th Street North in unincorporated St. Petersburg. The caller, 53-year-old James Butler, reported finding his tenant deceased in a detached shed on the property.
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The victim, 32-year-old Aaron Reed, was found with multiple gunshot wounds and pronounced dead at the scene. Butler initially claimed to have no knowledge of the circumstances surrounding Reed’s death, stating that he had just been released from jail and discovered the body upon returning home.
However, detectives conducted a thorough investigation and uncovered evidence linking Butler to the murder. On March 6th, 2025, Butler was arrested and charged with First Degree Murder.
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Butler is currently being held in the Pinellas County Jail. The investigation is ongoing, and further details may be released as they become available.
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