Tampa Bay briefs

By Times staff writers

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 27, 2001

Jailed duo charged in December slaying

ST. PETERSBURG -- Two more people have been charged with first-degree murder in a Dec. 13 killing during a home invasion in St. Petersburg.

Eric Mills, 21, and Erica Bonita Brown, 20, were charged with murder Thursday. They were already in the Pinellas County Jail because they had been arrested in December on charges of armed home invasion robbery.

They are accused in the fatal shooting of Dwight S. Fleming, a 39-year-old landscaper who was visiting a neighbor's house late Dec. 13 when he happened upon three men robbing his neighbor, Leo J. Dempsey Jr., 26, at 2411 33rd St. S.

Police say Erica Brown had knocked on Dempsey's back door, asking to use the phone. Dempsey knew her and let her in, and three masked men rushed in and demanded money.

In December, Michael Jermaine Mills, 24, was charged with first-degree murder in Fleming's death. He and Eric Mills are the sons of Cpl. Earl Mills, a 19-year detention deputy for the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Pedestrian dies after being hit by bus

ST. PETERSBURG -- A pedestrian was killed Thursday night when he walked in front of a bus, police said.

The 47-year-old man was hit by the bus just before 8:30 p.m. in the 1700 block of Dr. M.L. King (Ninth) Street S. His name wasn't released pending notification of his family.

The man was hit by a Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority bus. He was pronounced dead at 9 p.m. in Bayfront Medical Center's emergency room.

Shooting victim at park committed suicide, police say

PINELLAS PARK -- A man shot and killed himself Friday morning in a pavilion at Sparkle Lake Park, police said.

Landon K. Claxton, 33, of Pinellas Park shot himself about 10:40 a.m. in one of the western pavilions in the park at 4501 84th Ave. N, investigators said.

Witnesses reported seeing a naked man carrying a handgun near 78th Avenue N and 46th Street, said Pinellas Park police Sgt. Sandy Forseth.

One witness saw the man walk into the park.

Police and firefighters arrived minutes later and found Claxton dead.

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