LITHIA - A woman was strangled early Thursday morning in an altercation with her live-in boyfriend, according to police.
Police say Brenda Lee Bennette-Filteau, 34, had been arguing with Neilson Lee Darnell, 23, in the home they shared at 20733 Keene Road in Lithia.
About 3 a.m., Darnell grabbed Bennette-Filteau around the neck and held her to the ground for 30 to 60 seconds, according to reports from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
Bennette-Filteau was unconscious and stopped breathing, police say. Darnell called 911, but rescue officials were unable to revive her. She was pronounced dead at South Bay Hospital in Sun City Center.
According to a criminal report affidavit, Darnell told police he didn't mean to kill or hurt Bennette-Filteau, only "to stop her from fighting."
Hillsborough court records show no record of domestic violence injunctions or restraining orders issued between Darnell and Bennette-Filteau.
Bennette-Filteau has twice been arrested on charges of domestic battery, once in 1998 and again in 2002. A Hillsborough County judge dismissed the most recent incident.
In the past, Darnell has been arrested on charges of marijuana possession and aggravated battery. Charges were dropped in the aggravated battery incident, which occurred in 2000.
Darnell was charged with manslaughter Thursday. He was being held without bail at the Orient Road Jail.
- Times staff writer Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler and researcher Jenny Lichtenwalner contributed to this report. Jay Cridlin can be reached at 813 661-2442 or cridlin@sptimes.com
