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Dead body found near drug treatment centerBy LEANORA MINAI
© St. Petersburg Times, ST. PETERSBURG -- A 43-year-old man was found stabbed to death Monday night behind a treatment center for drug-addicted women. Phillip Johnson, also known as Jimmy Charles Battle, was stabbed multiple times after an argument with several men in an alley behind Children of Substance Abusers, 2000 4th St. S. Detectives interviewed witnesses and searched for a suspect Tuesday night, but no arrests were made. They are investigating reports that the argument was among family members upset over a legal matter or the cooking of a hot dog. It is the city's 10th killing of the year. "With the level of crime in the neighborhood, I'm really not surprised," Jean Lawson, director of the center, said of the killing. The center, which also provides day care for mothers in treatment, was closed at the time of the killing. It has been burglarized several times since Lawson started working there two years ago, she said. Johnson lived a block away from the center at 3421/2 19th Ave. S. His property was cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape and littered with debris. Earl Edwards, who lives in the neighborhood and called Johnson "Big Phil," last talked with him at 5 p.m. Monday. "He said he was going to come down here and bring some beer later on," said Edwards, 47. Witnesses called police at 11:05 p.m. to report a man's body in the alley. They also said they saw a white car speeding away from the scene. Johnson went by numerous aliases and dates of births, police said. He had an extensive arrest history, including charges of aggravated stalking, battery on a law enforcement officer and possession of crack cocaine. Johnson's family could not be reached for comment. - Times researcher Kitty Bennett contributed to this report.
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