Slain man found on sidewalk

By Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 30, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- A 47-year-old machinist was found shot to death on a sidewalk Saturday morning after neighbors heard gunshots in the middle of the night.

Francis Wayne Geary was found face-down with a bullet wound in the upper part of his torso about 7 a.m. outside 2745 Second Ave. S in the Palmetto Park area of St. Petersburg.

Police said they are treating Geary's death as a homicide. They had no suspects and didn't know the motive for the killing.

They weren't sure when Geary was killed, although residents reported hearing shots fired in the neighborhood about 3 a.m.

Geary's last known address was the Pinellas Pines Apartments at 8501 52nd St. N in Pinellas Park.

Geary was on probation. Court records show that he had a record of buying and selling crack cocaine in Pinellas and Pasco counties as well as violating his probation.

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