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With arrest, a 'sigh of relief'

Police catch the suspect in a Saturday slaying at his lawyer's office.

By ANNE LINDBERG
Published June 1, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG - Cynthia Bryant was with a minister praying for her murdered husband on Thursday when the phone rang.

It was St. Petersburg police, calling to tell her that officers had just arrested a teenager they believe shot and killed Kurt Bryant.

"It was an awesome feeling," Mrs. Bryant said. "I'm just thankful that it happened before the funeral. It just gives us a little sigh of relief."

Bryant, 35, was shot early Sunday as he helped a woman out of the limo he was driving. Friends in the limo drove him to Bayfront Hospital, where he died.

Marcus Allen Oliver, 18, who has addresses in Clearwater and St. Petersburg, faces one count of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm by a delinquent.

Oliver made no statement to police, so his motive for shooting Bryant is unclear. But St. Petersburg police Sgt. Mike Kovacsev said officers think it was a random crime.

"There are robbery overtones to it," Kovacsev said. "It appears to be totally a fluke incident."

Kovacsev said police received anonymous calls early this week identifying Oliver as the shooter. Witnesses who were in the limo and at the scene in the 1000 block of 13th Avenue S identified Oliver from photographs.

Police took several days to track down Oliver. They trailed him from Clearwater to St. Petersburg but were always two or three hours behind him. Then Thursday, officers heard Oliver was going to his attorney's office on E Bay Drive in Largo. They followed him to the attorney's office, went inside and arrested him.

Bryant was one of three men murdered over a bloody Memorial Day weekend.

Police arrested suspects in the murders of the other two men - James Lasseter, 33, and James Chancey, 30 - earlier this week. Lasseter was shot Sunday in a vacant lot at 20th Avenue and 45th Street S, and Chancy was fatally stabbed several times in the chest after an argument.

Bryant and his wife opened Bryant Luxury Transportation three years ago. They had a stretch limo and several other vehicles.

Bryant was treating a high school buddy who had never ridden in a limo and four other friends to a night out on Saturday. His friends picked up three girls but they stopped to let them out because the women were causing trouble, according to family members.

It is unclear exactly what happened next, but, as Bryant was helping one of the women out of the car, Oliver appeared, police said.

"It just looks like he came up to the victim and shot him," Kovacsev said. Oliver may have said something like "give it up" to Bryant, according to Kovacsev.

Police continue to investigate the shooting. They did not release any information on Oliver's juvenile criminal record.

Bryant's funeral is scheduled for noon Saturday at Pinellas Community Church, 5501 31st St. S.

Mrs. Bryant said the funeral will reflect her husband's love of limos.

"We will have a parade of stretch limos ... uplifting him," she said.

So far, 25 limo drivers have said they will bring their vehicles to take part in the funeral.

Anne Lindberg can be reached at 727 893-8450 or alindberg@sptimes.com.

[Last modified June 1, 2007, 07:05:16]