ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A 14-year-old was charged with first-degree murder after shooting and killing a woman at random, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
The shooting happened just before 11 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of 27th Street North and 59th Avenue North.
Deputies arrived to find 39-year-old Leslie Fernandez lying face down in the roadway with apparent gunshot wounds to her upper body. They performed life-saving measures until paramedics arrived to transport her to the hospital.
Fernandez was pronounced dead a short time later.
Detectives identified the suspect as a 14-year-old boy who was reportedly seen leaving the area on his bicycle after the shooting.
While executing a search warrant of the teen's home on Friday, detectives say they discovered the firearm used in the shooting, several other firearms, rounds of ammunition, 3.8 kilograms of cocaine, 53 grams of crack cocaine, 3 grams of MDMA and $184,964 in cash.
The teen was charged with one count of first-degree murder and transported to the Pinellas Juvenile Assessment Center.
During an interview, the 14-year-old reportedly admitted to shooting Fernandez at random. Detectives say the teen told them he got the gun from his father, 37-year-old Jarvis Spencer's bedroom.
According to the sheriff's office, Spencer has a "lengthy criminal history" which includes 15 felony convictions.
Detectives say Spencer was uncooperative. He was arrested and charged with:
- seven counts of felon in possession of a firearm,
- felon in possession of ammunition,
- possession of a firearm with an altered serial number,
- armed trafficking of crack cocaine,
- armed trafficking of powder cocaine and
- grand theft firearm.
Spencer was transported to the Pinellas County Jail. The investigation is ongoing.